South Carolina security deposit demand letter
Ask for your deposit with the South Carolina law behind your request. Download the free PDF or Word template, or fill in your dates and figures below.
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Before sending in South Carolina
Make the demand and give a written address
South Carolina's 30-day period runs from termination, return of possession or demand, whichever is last. A written forwarding address also matters to the landlord's mailing duties.
What records should support deductions?
No statutory receipts requirement; only the itemized written notice. No interest owed and no separate account required.
Make the free template yours.
Choose your situation, then add your figures. No account or payment. Unfilled details stay in brackets for you to edit.
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[Your name] [Your current mailing address] [Date] [Landlord or property manager name] [Address designated for notices] SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED RE: Request for return of security deposit - [rental property address] Dear [Landlord]: I vacated the property on [move-out date] and paid a security deposit of $[deposit amount]. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410: 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. REQUEST Please return $[amount requested] of my deposit to the mailing address above. Please explain any deductions you maintain and provide the itemized statement and supporting records required by the applicable law. If the statutory conditions are met, under S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410(b), your failure to return my deposit with the required itemized notice makes you liable for three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees. Please respond by [response date after any required notice or cure period]. This requested date does not shorten any applicable statutory notice or cure period. If this remains unresolved after the applicable requirements are satisfied, I intend to pursue the remedies available in magistrates court. Sincerely, [Your signature] Enclosures: [List the records you are actually attaching.]
Review your dates and the records behind each charge before signing. The free analysis can help you assess disputed deductions and possible additional recovery.
From a blank request to a documented demand
See what your case documents add.
The free editor fills in your facts. The analysis reviews your charges and applicable rules; your paid case documents bring together the letter, damages summary and organized evidence checklist.
One charge, made specific.
South Carolina example: repainting ordinary wall scuffs, $900. The example assumes the tenancy is covered by the cited law; no tenant result is implied.
A starting request
I disagree with the $900 charge for repainting ordinary wall scuffs. Please return that amount.
The free editor lets you add your own reasons and records.
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.
Records to attach: move-in photos and move-out photos.
State-law reference: S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410 ↗The amount stays tied to the facts: $1,100 withheld - $200 in accepted charges = $900 disputed in this sample.
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See the actual PDF pages
Open PDF to zoom ↗Sample South Carolina case. Letter and exhibit pages extracted from a generated case PDF. Your letter uses your own facts and state law.
Read the complete South Carolina sample letter
Fictional South Carolina case. Generated sample, not a court outcome or a substitute for your own letter.
Maya Patel (fictional tenant)
[Fictional current mailing address]
September 08, 2026
Daniel Reed (fictional landlord)
[Fictional landlord mailing address]
SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
RE: Demand for return of security deposit - [Fictional South Carolina rental address]
Dear Daniel Reed (fictional landlord):
I vacated the above rental property on August 01, 2026 and paid a security deposit of $2,000.00. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410 (South Carolina Security Deposit Law), the applicable return rule is: 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.
DISPUTED DEDUCTIONS
I dispute the following deductions under S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410 for the reasons below. Please provide the records supporting each disputed charge, including the work, cost, and condition at issue. For replacement charges, explain the item's age and how you calculated the amount charged:
• Repainting ordinary wall scuffs - $900.00
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.
I do not contest the following deductions, totaling $200.00: Unpaid rent balance ($200.00).
This demand does not cancel any accepted debt. Any separate claim or counterclaim must credit amounts already paid or retained toward that debt.
DEMAND
I demand payment of $900.00, the amount improperly withheld from my deposit.
This demand is limited to the amount improperly withheld. The applicable statutory remedy is conditional: under S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410(b), your failure to return my deposit with the required itemized notice makes you liable for three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees. I reserve the right to seek that remedy if its conditions are established in court.
Please deliver payment to the address above no later than September 22, 2026 (14 days from the date of this letter). This requested date does not shorten any statutory notice or cure period. If this remains unresolved after the applicable notice, service and waiting requirements are satisfied, I intend to file suit in magistrates court. I have retained dated photographs of the property's condition, the lease, our correspondence, your itemized statement, the repair receipts you provided, and this demand letter.
Sincerely,
Maya Patel (fictional tenant)
Enclosures: Evidence exhibit listSend it with a record you can use.
Include the demand date, possession-return date and forwarding address. Identify disputed rent or damage amounts and request the itemized written notice with the balance.
S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410: return and accounting ↗What happens after sending?
Compare the accounting with the last triggering event. Keep proof of the address you supplied rather than relying only on a postal forwarding service.
They refund some or all of it
Save the payment record and update what remains disputed. Read any settlement or release before agreeing to it.
They reject the request or explain the deductions
Match each explanation to your lease and condition records. Reply with the specific amounts and reasons still disputed.
The letter comes back or nobody responds
Keep the envelope or tracking record. Check the address and required service method before using the South Carolina filing guide. Attempted delivery may not complete statutory service.
Frequently asked questions
Which return deadline should my South Carolina letter refer to?
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. 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 penalties does South Carolina law allow if the withholding was wrongful?
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.
What happens if the landlord ignores the letter?
You can file in magistrates court (limit: $7,500; filing fees $80, service included). Check required notices, filing deadlines and the court's rules before filing.
South Carolina filing steps and court forms →