The law in plain English
Return deadline
Under R.I. Gen. Laws Section 34-18-19, the deposit response usually has to be sent within 20 days of the move-out timeline described by the state rule.
Required notice
Rhode Island generally caps the deposit at 1 month's rent for unfurnished units, and the landlord usually has 20 days to send the refund and itemized statement before forfeiture and double-damages exposure become part of the dispute.
This dispute type
Rhode Island renters usually push back on carpet-cleaning deductions when the landlord appears to be charging for routine turnover rather than a tenant-caused problem. The timing, itemization, and bad-faith rules still matter even when the landlord says the carpet needed extra work.
Penalty leverage
If the withholding was wrongful or in bad faith, the exposure allowed under the statute is: Landlord forfeits the right to retain; you can recover up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees