R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-5-24 — Notice and procedure for collection of back taxes

(a) The assessors of taxes shall give notice of the proposed assessment or reassessment
of any real estate for any previous year or years to all persons liable to the tax
in the manner provided in this chapter for the levy and assessment of taxes. The notice
shall contain a general description of the real estate and state the year or years
for which the real estate is liable to assessment or reassessment and the name or
names of the person or persons liable to assessment or reassessment, and shall require
every person so liable to bring in to the assessors a true and exact account of real
estate owned by him or her in the previous year or years, describing the real estate
and specifying the value of every parcel of the real estate at the time of the general
assessment of property in previous year or years, and like proceedings for the collection
of any and all taxes shall be taken as is provided in chapters 7 — 9 of this title
for the collection of taxes, and all the provisions of chapters 2 — 9 of this title,
so far as applicable and consistent herewith, shall apply to every assessment of taxes
for the previous year and to the collection of the taxes, except that no lien for
the collection of any tax for a previous year shall attach to any real estate which
has been aliened by the person liable to the tax prior to the giving of the notice,
and no lien thereon which lawfully attached prior to the giving of the notice shall
be prejudiced thereby.
(b) Persons aged sixty-five (65) years and over or persons suffering from a disability
may designate a third party to whom notice may be sent as required pursuant to this
section by advising the tax assessor of the name and address of the person.