Tenant behind on rent? Damage beyond wear and tear? Holding over after the lease ended? Describe the situation in your own words and get a plain-English breakdown, severity rating, step-by-step next steps, and ready-to-send notices — specific to South Carolina law.
Get My South Carolina Action Plan — Free to StartSouth Carolina landlords must return the deposit within 30 days with an itemized statement of deductions (§ 27-40-410), though the state sets no cap on deposit amounts; bad-faith retention can trigger treble damages. Landlords must give 24 hours' notice before non-emergency entry (§ 27-40-530). For nonpayment, the landlord must give written demand and wait 5 days before terminating, which is commonly treated as a 5-day grace period.
30 days after move-out, with an itemized statement for any deductions.
Landlords must generally give 24-hour notice before entering, except in emergencies.
No. Eviction requires a court process — lockouts, belongings removal, and utility shutoffs without a court order are illegal.
South Carolina Legal Services at 1-888-346-5592. You can also call or text 211 for local referrals.