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South Carolina Tenant Rights



A brief guide to South Carolina tenant rights

When leasing property from a landlord or corporation, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are not taken advantage of. To make sure that you receive the full benefit of every South Carolina tenant right accorded to you by the law, you must be proactive.

Before signing any kind of rental contract, you must meticulously inspect any property which you are thinking of leasing. Your South Carolina tenant rights mean that you cannot be forced to pay in any property which is in substandard condition. To ensure that you are not taken advantage of, examine the electrical wiring and all other aspects of a property. If you find any problems, you have the South Carolina tenant right to have a landlord perform the necessary repairs before moving in. 

Do not enter in an agreement with any property owner who does not consent to perform the repairs they are obligated by law to do. Similarly, if an owner will not document in writing any agreed-upon repairs, they may not intend to respect any oral agreement. To make sure your South Carolina tenant rights are offered, you should not sign a rental contract with any property owner who exhibits any such signs of dishonesty.

When signing a rental contract, you should review the document closely. This contract will details such issues as when you will be expected to make payments, how much your rent will be, and when your rental agreement expires. To ensure that your South Carolina tenant right to a properly maintained space is honored, this contract should also detail the repair obligations of a landlord.

Once you have moved into a space, you are afforded certain protections. An important South Carolina tenant right concerns privacy. A landlord has the right to inspect their property to ensure that you are maintaining it in good condition. However, it is a violation of your South Carolina tenant rights if they show up unannounced and demand entry. Any inspection must be scheduled at a mutually convenient time. You have the South Carolina tenant right to request that this appoint be documented in advance in writing.

If your landlord wishes to evict you, they must follow certain legal procedures. An important South Carolina tenant right is to be informed of any such pending action in writing. Failure to do so is a violation of the law. For example, if a landlord changes the locks on your property without following a formal eviction process, they are in violation of your South Carolina tenant rights.

A contract you sign may detail the steps to be taken in case of a dispute. For example, you and your landlord may agree to mediation conducted with the help of a mutually acceptable neutral third party if there is a disagreement. However, if your concerns regarding a violation of your South Carolina tenant rights are not resolved in this fashion, you may decide to pursue litigation. Civil lawsuits are generally undertaken with the purpose of obtaining financial compensation for a violation of the terms of a contract.

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