South Carolina security deposit law
What if my landlord never sent an itemized statement in South Carolina?
The short answer
That is a violation in South Carolina: S.C. Code § 27-40-410 requires an itemized statement of deductions within 30 days, and it strips the landlord's justification for withholding.
In South Carolina, the itemized statement is not a courtesy, it is a legal requirement: S.C. Code § 27-40-410 obligates the landlord to list every deduction within 30 days of move out.
Skipping it matters: without an itemization, the landlord has no documented justification for keeping your money, and a court has nothing to weigh on their side.
Your move is the same either way: a demand letter that cites the requirement, states that no itemization was received within the 30 days deadline, and demands the full deposit with the statutory exposure of up to 3x the deposit spelled out. Send it certified. A landlord who ignored the paperwork rarely wants to explain that to a judge in Magistrate Court.
The South Carolina rules at a glance. Governing statute: S.C. Code § 27-40-410. Return deadline: 30 days. Statutory damages: up to 3x the deposit for wrongful withholding. Attorney's fees: recoverable in qualifying cases. Court for disputes: Magistrate Court, claims up to $7,500.
Looking for the rules beyond this state? My landlord kept my deposit and didn't give me an itemized statement
See what your landlord owes you under South Carolina law.
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