What do South Carolina landlord tenant laws say about repairs, entry and deposits?

South Carolina landlord tenant day counts and hours, with sources

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What repairs is a landlord responsible for in South Carolina?

Section 27-40-440(a)(2) says a landlord shall make all repairs, in these words: “make all repairs and do whatever is reasonably necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition;” (South Carolina Code of Laws § 27-40-440) read 2026-10-29 on scstatehouse.gov.

Beside the landlord's duty to make all repairs, 27-40-440(c) lets the landlord and tenant of a single family residence agree in writing that the tenant performs specified repairs, but only if the transaction is entered into in good faith and not for the purpose of evading the obligations of the landlord, and 27-40-440(d) sets three conditions before the tenant of any dwelling unit other than a single family residence takes on specified repairs.

For a repair that keeps a South Carolina rental fit and habitable, such as a leak or broken heat, you can post the job on InstaBids and get written bids.

How long does a landlord have to make repairs in South Carolina?

The clock in 27-40-610(a) starts with the tenant's written notice: except as provided in this chapter, where there is a material noncompliance by the landlord with the rental agreement or a noncompliance with 27-40-440 materially affecting health and safety, the tenant may deliver a written notice to the landlord that the rental agreement will terminate upon a date not less than fourteen days after receipt of the notice if the breach is not remedied within fourteen days, read 2026-10-29 on scstatehouse.gov.

Section 27-40-640(b)(1) adds a second fourteen days count for rent cases: for services other than essential services, a tenant is considered to have waived a 27-40-440 violation as a defense in an action for rent when the landlord has no notice of the violation in time, where “the landlord has no notice of the violation of the duties fourteen days before rent is due for violations of SECTION 27-40-440 involving services other than essential services; or” (South Carolina Code of Laws § 27-40-640) read 2026-10-29 on scstatehouse.gov. For essential services, 27-40-640(b)(2) looks to notice before rent is due which provides a reasonable opportunity to make emergency repairs.

When a tenant's written notice names a repair, you can post that repair on InstaBids with photos and compare written bids on the same scope.

How much notice does a landlord have to give before entering in South Carolina?

Section 27-40-530(c) says that, except in cases under 27-40-530(b), the landlord shall give the tenant at least twenty-four hours notice of his intent to enter, read 2026-10-29 on scstatehouse.gov. The subsection reads: “A landlord shall not abuse the right of access or use it to harass the tenant. Except in cases under item (b) above, the landlord shall give the tenant at least twenty-four hours notice of his intent to enter and may enter only at reasonable times.” (South Carolina Code of Laws § 27-40-530) For services requested by the tenant, the last item of 27-40-530(b) reads: "Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. for the purpose of providing services requested by the tenant and that prior to entering, the landlord announces his intent to enter to perform services."

For regularly scheduled periodic services such as changing furnace and air-conditioning filters, 27-40-530(b)(2) lets the landlord or his agent enter without consent between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. when that right is conspicuously set forth in writing in the rental agreement and the landlord announces his intent to enter to perform services.

For a repair or a scheduled filter change that needs entry to an occupied unit, you can post the job on InstaBids and compare written bids side by side.

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in South Carolina?

Under 27-40-410(a), deductions must be itemized by the landlord within thirty days, counted from termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession and demand by the tenant, whichever is later: “Any deduction from the security/rental deposit must be itemized by the landlord in a written notice to the tenant together with the amount due, if any, within thirty days after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession and demand by the tenant, whichever is later.” (South Carolina Code of Laws § 27-40-410) read 2026-10-29 on scstatehouse.gov. The same subsection says a tenant who fails to provide the landlord with the forwarding or new address is not entitled to damages under it where the landlord had no notice of the tenant's whereabouts and mailed the written notice and amount due to the tenant's last known address.

If the landlord fails to return the prepaid rent or security/rental deposit with the notice 27-40-410(a) requires, 27-40-410(b) says the tenant may recover three times the amount wrongfully withheld.

For move-out cleaning and damage repairs before deposit deductions are itemized, you can post the job on InstaBids and get written bids to compare.

When can a tenant end a lease over repairs in South Carolina?

Through the written notice of 27-40-610(a), where the tenant may deliver a written notice to the landlord naming a date not less than fourteen days after receipt of the notice, except as provided in this chapter, read 2026-10-29 on scstatehouse.gov. The subsection reads: “Except as provided in this chapter, if there is a material noncompliance by the landlord with the rental agreement or a noncompliance with SECTION 27-40-440 materially affecting health and safety or the physical condition of the property, the tenant may deliver a written notice to the landlord specifying the acts and omissions constituting the breach and that the rental agreement will terminate upon a date not less than fourteen days after receipt of the notice if the breach is not remedied within fourteen days.” (South Carolina Code of Laws § 27-40-610) Under the same subsection the agreement will not terminate upon that date if the landlord adequately remedies the breach before the date specified in the tenant's notice, or if a remedy for a breach not affecting health and safety is commenced within the fourteen-day period and pursued in good faith to completion within a reasonable time. The next item of that subsection reads: “The tenant may not terminate for a condition caused by the deliberate or negligent act or omission of the tenant, a member of his family, or other person on the premises with the tenant's permission or who is allowed access to the premises by the tenant.”

For a health-and-safety repair a tenant has put in writing, you can describe it once on InstaBids, add photos and get written bids on that scope.

When can a tenant withhold rent over repairs in South Carolina?

Section 27-40-630(c) rules out repair and deduct for the tenant under that section, read 2026-10-29 on scstatehouse.gov. It reads: “Under no circumstances should this section be interpreted to authorize the tenant to make repairs on the rental property and deduct the cost of the repairs from rent.” (South Carolina Code of Laws § 27-40-630)

For essential services, 27-40-630(a) says that if the landlord is negligent or wilful in failing to provide essential services as required by the rental agreement or 27-40-440, the tenant may give written notice to the landlord specifying the breach and may procure reasonable amounts of the required essential services and deduct their actual and reasonable cost from the rent, or recover damages based upon the diminution in the fair-market rental value. Under 27-40-630(d) those rights arise once the tenant has given notice to the landlord and the landlord fails to act within a reasonable time. Section 27-40-630(b) adds: “If the tenant proceeds under this section, he may not proceed under SECTION 27-40-610 as to that breach.”

For an essential-service repair such as heat, hot water or plumbing, you can post the job on InstaBids and compare written bids from contractors.

Who does South Carolina landlord tenant law cover?

Chapter 40 is the South Carolina Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, and 27-40-120 lists nine arrangements that are not governed by this chapter; item (4) reads: “(4) transient occupancy in a hotel, motel, or other accommodations subject to the sales tax on accommodations as provided by SECTION 12-36-920;” (South Carolina Code of Laws § 27-40-120) read 2026-10-29 on scstatehouse.gov. The same list names occupancy by an owner of a condominium unit or a holder of a proprietary lease in a cooperative, which is likewise not governed by this chapter.

The definition in 27-40-210(6) also reaches a manager of the premises who fails to disclose as required by 27-40-420: “"landlord" means the owner, lessor, or sublessor of the premises, and it also means a manager of the premises who fails to disclose as required by SECTION 27-40-420;” (South Carolina Code of Laws § 27-40-210)

For upkeep at any rental home or apartment you manage, you can post a repair or maintenance job on InstaBids and compare written bids side by side.

South Carolina chapter 40 rules a property manager works to

What to put in a written repair scope for a South Carolina rental

• The repair in plain words, with photos, tied to the duty of 27-40-440(a)(2): a landlord shall make all repairs and do whatever is reasonably necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition.
• The date the landlord received the tenant's written notice: under 27-40-610(a), except as provided in this chapter, the tenant may deliver a written notice to the landlord naming a termination date not less than fourteen days after receipt of the notice if the breach is not remedied within fourteen days.
• The access plan: except in cases under 27-40-530(b), the landlord shall give the tenant at least twenty-four hours notice of his intent to enter (27-40-530(c)).
• For regularly scheduled periodic services set forth in writing in the rental agreement, the entry window of 27-40-530(b)(2) is 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., after the landlord announces his intent to enter to perform services.
• The move-out date and the tenant's forwarding address, since under 27-40-410(a) deductions must be itemized by the landlord in a written notice within thirty days after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession and demand by the tenant, whichever is later.

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Calling contractors one by one, or one written scope?

Calling contractors one by one gets as many ideas of the repair as calls. With one written scope that names the duty of 27-40-440(a)(2), where a landlord shall make all repairs for a fit and habitable condition, you describe it once, contractors bid in writing on that scope, and you choose who gets your number.

Property managers can post a rental job on InstaBids today.

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Sources

• South Carolina Code of Laws § 27-40-410, read 2026-10-29: www.scstatehouse.gov