Landlord & Housing · free generator
South Carolina Security Deposit Demand Letter
You moved out, you left the place in decent shape, and your deposit still has not come back. In South Carolina, that is not a judgment call: under South Carolina Code of Laws section 27-40-410 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act), your former landlord generally has 30 days to return your deposit or send an itemized statement of deductions. This generator produces a demand letter that cites S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410 by name, states the legal deadline, and puts your landlord on notice that small claims court — where South Carolina hears claims up to $7,500 — is the next stop. You do not need perfect English or a lawyer for this; the statute does the arguing. Fill in the blanks below, send it by certified mail, and keep a copy — the letter that cites the actual law is the one that gets answered.
[Date]
[Your former landlord's name]
Re: Demand for return of security deposit — [Rental property address]
Dear [Your former landlord's name],
I am writing to formally demand the return of my security deposit of [Deposit amount] for the property at [Rental property address], which I have vacated and returned to your possession.
Under South Carolina Code of Laws section 27-40-410 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) (S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410), you were required to return my security deposit, or provide a written itemized statement of any lawful deductions, within 30 days. Yes - any deduction must be itemized in a written notice sent to the tenant together with the amount due within the 30-day window. Deductions for normal wear and tear are not permitted.
As of the date of this letter, I have received neither my deposit nor a lawful accounting for it. Please send the full amount of [Deposit amount] to my forwarding address: [Forwarding address for payment].
If I do not receive payment or a lawful written response within 10 days, I will file a claim in small claims court, where South Carolina law allows claims up to $7,500, and I will pursue every remedy available under S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410, including any statutory damages for wrongful retention.
I would prefer to resolve this without litigation. Prompt payment will close the matter.
Sincerely,
[Your full name]
Know your rights
Security deposit law in South Carolina
- Return deadline
- 30 days
- Governing statute
- S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410
- When the clock starts
- The itemized notice and any balance are due within 30 days after the later of termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, or the tenant's demand. Deductions are limited to accrued rent and damages from the tenant's noncompliance.
- Itemized deductions
- Yes - any deduction must be itemized in a written notice sent to the tenant together with the amount due within the 30-day window.
- If it's wrongfully kept
- If the landlord fails to return the money with the required notice, the tenant may recover an amount equal to three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees - one of the strongest penalties in the country.
- Small claims limit
- $7,500 (Magistrate Court)
Worth knowing: The treble-damages remedy has a catch: a tenant who never gave a forwarding address cannot collect it if the landlord mailed the notice and balance to the tenant's last known address, so the demand letter should state the new address prominently. South Carolina has no deposit cap and requires no interest. A quirky disclosure rule applies to landlords renting more than four adjoining units who charge different deposits for comparable units - they must post or hand out the standards used, or they lose the right to keep the difference.
Last reviewed August 2026 · General information, not legal advice · Read the statute
Field notes
Three tips before you send
- Send it by certified mail with a return receipt — that dated record is the first exhibit a South Carolina small claims judge will ask about. Keep a copy with your move-out photos and lease.
- The itemized notice and any balance are due within 30 days after the later of termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, or the tenant's demand. Deductions are limited to accrued rent and damages from the tenant's noncompliance.
- If the deadline has already passed, skip the text-message negotiation. Filing in small claims ($7,500 (Magistrate Court)) usually costs under $75, and most landlords pay between the summons and the hearing.
Other states
Deposit letters for every state
Straight answers
Questions people ask
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in South Carolina?
The itemized notice and any balance are due within 30 days after the later of termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, or the tenant's demand. Deductions are limited to accrued rent and damages from the tenant's noncompliance. The governing statute is South Carolina Code of Laws section 27-40-410 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). Yes - any deduction must be itemized in a written notice sent to the tenant together with the amount due within the 30-day window.
What can I recover if my landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit in South Carolina?
If the landlord fails to return the money with the required notice, the tenant may recover an amount equal to three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees - one of the strongest penalties in the country. These cases are built for small claims court — the South Carolina limit is $7,500 (Magistrate Court), filing fees are modest, and no lawyer is needed.
Anything else South Carolina renters should know about deposits?
The treble-damages remedy has a catch: a tenant who never gave a forwarding address cannot collect it if the landlord mailed the notice and balance to the tenant's last known address, so the demand letter should state the new address prominently. South Carolina has no deposit cap and requires no interest. A quirky disclosure rule applies to landlords renting more than four adjoining units who charge different deposits for comparable units - they must post or hand out the standards used, or they lose the right to keep the difference.
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