Landlord kept your deposit in South Carolina? Find your next step.
No refund, only part of your money back, or charges you disagree with? Start with what you received, then build a response using your records and South Carolina law.
Analysis free · Full case package $29-$49, one time · mailing optional
The deadline check is optional. See what you get
What do you need help with?
Open the situation that fits. Each route gives you something to check, something to keep, and a next step.
I received nothingNo refund and no list of deductions.
Check the trigger, then the date. Within 30 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, or demand by the tenant, whichever comes last; give a written forwarding address - without one the landlord may mail to the last known address without further liability.
Keep: your deposit payment, move-out or key-return record, forwarding-address notice and any earlier written request. These establish the timeline behind your demand.
Analyze my missing refund - free →I received part of my depositSome money came back. Find out what explains the difference.
Reconcile the refund. Compare the original deposit, what was returned and each deduction. Separate charges you accept from charges you dispute.
Check the amount they kept - free →Enter the refund and deductions in the case builder. You do not need a separate worksheet first.
The South Carolina accounting rule: Any deduction must be itemized in a written notice sent with the amount due within the 30-day window; deductions limited to accrued rent and damages from tenant noncompliance - the statute never mentions wear and tear, but because ordinary wear is neither accrued rent nor tenant noncompliance it falls outside the permitted deductions.
Keep: the refund record, deduction list and notice envelope or delivery record. If money is still unexplained, identify that gap in your written request.
I disagree with the deductionsYou have a charge list, whether or not a refund arrived.
Respond to the specific charges. Note each amount, why you dispute it, and which photo, message or record supports your position. Check the notice instructions above before choosing how and when to reply.
Check my deductions - free →The records rule in South Carolina: No statutory receipts requirement; only the itemized written notice. No interest owed and no separate account required.
No move-in photos? Use an inventory checklist, inspection report, dated repair request, messages or witness accounts to explain the condition.
I already sent a demandThe landlord has not paid, or the dispute is still unresolved.
Compare the accounting with the last triggering event. Keep proof of the address you supplied rather than relying only on a postal forwarding service.
See the South Carolina court route →Keep: your sent demand, delivery record and any reply. Use the court guide to check where to file, which forms to use, and the filing and service costs.
Turn the dispute into a documented demand
- Free: understand your dispute
- Add your refund, charges and records. Get a charge-by-charge analysis of the deposit rules and potential remedies under S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410.
- Optional: your case documents, $29-$49
- Your demand letter, damages summary and evidence checklist, ready to review and send with your records. Mailing is optional and costs extra.
One charge, backed by a reason and records
Fictional South Carolina example. Assumes coverage under the cited law; not a customer outcome.
- The charge
- Repainting ordinary wall scuffs: $900
- Records to attach
- move-in photos and move-out photos
Open PDF ↗In the generated letter
Ordinary wear and tear - not deductible. Repainting after a tenancy is ordinary wear and tear unless the walls were damaged beyond normal use (large holes, unauthorized colors). Dated move-in and move-out photos help distinguish ordinary wear from tenant-caused damage.
Prefer to write it yourself? Use the free South Carolina letter template.
Before you call the refund late
Within 30 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, or demand by the tenant, whichever comes last; give a written forwarding address - without one the landlord may mail to the last known address without further liability.
S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410 ↗Deposit statute reviewed August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules.
Check the return timeline
Optional date estimate. Read the start conditions above; a passed date alone does not establish a violation. Your date and deposit amount carry into the free analysis.
Already know the dates? Go straight to the refund and charges.
Continue to my free analysis →Questions before your next step
What should I do first if my landlord kept my deposit in South Carolina?
Check the statutory deadline. Within 30 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, or demand by the tenant, whichever comes last; give a written forwarding address - without one the landlord may mail to the last known address without further liability. Save your move-out records, any refund and the itemized statement. Compare them with the deadline and deduction rules below.
Do I need a lawyer to get my deposit back in South Carolina?
You can write a demand yourself. If you consider a court claim, magistrates court (limit: $7,500) is designed for self-represented tenants - filing fees run $80, service included.
What happens if my landlord doesn't return my security deposit in 30 days in South Carolina?
Failure to return the deposit with the required itemized notice lets the tenant recover three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney's fees (§ 27-40-410(b)).
What can I ask to recover in a South Carolina deposit dispute?
Treble damages: the tenant may recover the property and money in an amount equal to 3x the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees (§ 27-40-410(b)) - triggered by failure to return with the required notice, no express bad-faith element.
Read the full South Carolina deposit-law guide for the return, deduction and remedy rules.