Want to skip straight to checking your own building? Use the RentCheckMe address checker.
Greenwood is a small city of roughly 23,000 residents in Greenwood County, South Carolina, home to Lander University and a notable share of student and working-class renters. Like all tenants in South Carolina, Greenwood renters are governed entirely by the South Carolina Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (S.C. Code §§ 27-40-10 through 27-40-940), which establishes baseline protections for habitability, security deposits, eviction procedures, and retaliation. There is no local Greenwood ordinance that supplements or modifies these state rules.
Renters in Greenwood most commonly have questions about security deposit return deadlines, how much rent can legally be raised, and what steps a landlord must follow before filing for eviction. Understanding these state-level rules is essential for protecting yourself in any landlord-tenant dispute in Greenwood or anywhere else in South Carolina.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws can change, and individual circumstances vary. If you have a specific legal problem, consult a licensed South Carolina attorney or contact a free legal aid organization listed at the bottom of this page.
Greenwood has no rent control ordinance, and South Carolina state law imposes no cap on rent increases anywhere in the state. The South Carolina Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (S.C. Code § 27-40-10 et seq.) is the primary governing statute for residential rentals, and it contains no provision authorizing or requiring municipalities to regulate rent levels. Unlike some states that explicitly preempt local rent control by statute, South Carolina has simply never enacted such a law at any level of government, and no South Carolina city — including Greenwood — has ever passed a rent control ordinance.
In practical terms, this means a Greenwood landlord can raise your rent by any dollar amount at the end of a lease term or, for month-to-month tenants, with at least 30 days written notice under S.C. Code § 27-40-770. There is no limit on how often rent may be raised, no required percentage ceiling, and no local rent board or appeal process. Renters facing steep increases have no legal mechanism to challenge the amount itself — only the procedural requirements (proper notice) can be scrutinized.
South Carolina's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act provides several meaningful protections for Greenwood renters even in the absence of local ordinances.
Habitability (S.C. Code § 27-40-440): Landlords must maintain rental units in a fit and habitable condition, comply with applicable building and housing codes, keep common areas clean and safe, maintain electrical, plumbing, heating, and other essential systems, and provide adequate trash receptacles. A landlord's failure to meet these obligations gives tenants specific remedies.
Repair and Deduct / Rent Escrow (S.C. Code § 27-40-630): If a landlord fails to make a required repair after receiving written notice, the landlord has 14 days to remedy the condition (or a shorter reasonable time for emergencies). If the landlord still fails to act, the tenant may terminate the lease, withhold rent into escrow, or in some cases arrange for repairs and deduct the cost from rent, subject to statutory limits and procedures.
Security Deposit Rules (S.C. Code § 27-40-410): Landlords must return the security deposit — along with a written itemized statement of any deductions — within 30 days of the tenant's vacating the unit. Wrongful or unjustified withholding entitles the tenant to recover three times the amount improperly withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees.
Notice to Terminate Month-to-Month Tenancy (S.C. Code § 27-40-770): Either party must give at least 30 days written notice before the end of a rental period to terminate a month-to-month tenancy. Fixed-term leases expire on their own terms unless renewed.
Anti-Retaliation Protection (S.C. Code § 27-40-910): A landlord may not increase rent, decrease services, threaten eviction, or otherwise retaliate against a tenant for reporting code violations to a government authority, complaining about habitability issues, or exercising any legal right under the Act. If a landlord takes adverse action within 90 days of a protected activity, retaliation is presumed.
Lockout and Utility Shutoff Prohibition (S.C. Code § 27-40-660): Self-help eviction is illegal in South Carolina. A landlord may not remove a tenant's belongings, change the locks, or deliberately cut off utilities such as water, heat, or electricity to force a tenant out. Doing so may expose the landlord to damages and does not excuse the tenant from paying rent but does give the tenant a legal remedy.
South Carolina law places no statutory cap on how much a landlord in Greenwood can charge as a security deposit. A landlord may charge any amount agreed upon in the lease, so renters should review their lease carefully before signing.
Under S.C. Code § 27-40-410, after a tenant vacates the rental unit, the landlord must:
Allowable deductions are generally limited to unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and other costs specifically permitted by the lease and state law. A landlord who wrongfully withholds all or part of the deposit without a proper itemized statement is liable to the tenant for three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees, under S.C. Code § 27-40-410(c). To protect your rights, always document the condition of the unit with dated photographs at move-in and move-out, and submit a written forwarding address to the landlord promptly upon vacating.
Evictions in Greenwood follow the procedures established by the South Carolina Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (S.C. Code §§ 27-40-710 through 27-40-730) and are administered through Greenwood County Magistrate Court. The process generally proceeds as follows:
Step 1 — Written Notice: Before filing for eviction, a landlord must serve the tenant with the appropriate written notice:
Step 2 — Filing a Summons and Complaint: If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord may file an ejectment action (eviction complaint) at Greenwood County Magistrate Court. The court will issue a summons scheduling a hearing, typically within 10 days.
Step 3 — Court Hearing: Both parties may appear and present their case. If the landlord prevails, the magistrate issues a judgment of ejectment. The tenant then has a short period — typically five days — to vacate voluntarily or appeal to circuit court.
Step 4 — Writ of Ejectment: If the tenant does not vacate after judgment, the landlord may obtain a writ of ejectment, and a constable or law enforcement officer will carry out the removal.
Self-Help Eviction Is Illegal: Under S.C. Code § 27-40-660, a landlord cannot remove a tenant's belongings, change locks, or shut off utilities as a means of forcing the tenant out without a court order. Such actions are unlawful regardless of whether the tenant owes rent. A tenant subjected to an illegal lockout or utility shutoff should contact local law enforcement and a legal aid attorney immediately.
South Carolina does not require just cause to evict a tenant at the end of a lease term or after proper notice to terminate a month-to-month tenancy. A landlord does not need to provide a reason beyond satisfying the applicable notice requirement.
The information provided on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant rights laws in South Carolina and Greenwood can change, and the application of these laws depends on your specific facts and circumstances. Nothing on this page creates an attorney-client relationship. If you have a legal problem involving your rental housing, you should consult a licensed South Carolina attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization such as SC Legal Services. RentCheckMe makes no warranties about the accuracy or completeness of this information and encourages you to verify all statutes and local rules independently.
Find out if your home is covered by rent control or tenant protections.
Use the Address Checker →We'll email you if the rent cap, coverage rules, or tenant protections change — no spam, unsubscribe any time.