South Carolina Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
South Carolina rules on mold, pests, heat & ac for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: No statute — general habitability/repair duty applies. South Carolina has no mold disclosure, remediation or exposure-standard law for rentals; S.C. Code § 27-40-440(a)(1)-(2)
The rules in South Carolina
| Mold | No statute — general habitability/repair duty applies. South Carolina has no mold disclosure, remediation or exposure-standard law for rentals; the landlord must comply with building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety and 'make all repairs and do whatever is reasonably necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition.' Tenant remedies for landlord noncompliance are in § 27-40-610 (written notice; termination or damages) and § 27-40-630 (essential services). Local codes may address mold. Source: S.C. Code § 27-40-440(a)(1)-(2) |
|---|---|
| Pests & bed bugs | No statute — no bed-bug or pest-specific law. The landlord's general duty to keep the premises fit and habitable applies; the tenant must keep the unit and the part of the premises the tenant uses reasonably safe and clean and dispose of garbage in a reasonably clean and safe manner. If the written lease conspicuously says so, the landlord may enter without consent between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., after announcing intent, for regularly scheduled termite, insect or pest treatment. No state bed-bug disclosure or inspection rule. Who pays for treatment generally depends on the lease and on whether the tenant caused the infestation. |
| Heat | Yes. The landlord must make available reasonable heat (and running and reasonable hot water) except where the building is not required by law to be equipped for heat or the heat is generated by an installation in the tenant's exclusive control on a direct utility connection, and must keep landlord-supplied heating facilities in reasonably good and safe working order. Heat is an 'essential service.' No statewide minimum temperature or heating season. Appliances or facilities needed for essential services cannot be excluded from the landlord's maintenance duty. Willful interruption of essential services lets the tenant recover the greater of three months' rent or twice actual damages plus attorney's fees (§ 27-40-660). |
| Air conditioning | No state requirement to provide air conditioning or a maximum indoor temperature. If the landlord supplies air conditioning, it must be kept in reasonably good and safe working order; appliances in the unit are presumed landlord-supplied unless the rental agreement specifically excludes them. Source: S.C. Code § 27-40-440(a)(5) |
Related questions
- Does a landlord have to fix mold?
- Who pays for pest control and bed bugs in a rental?
- Does a landlord have to provide heat?
- Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning?
South Carolina vs. neighboring states
| State | Mold | Pests & bed bugs | Heat |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | No statute — general habitability/repair duty applies. South Carolina has no mold disclosure, remediation or exposure-standard law for rentals; the landlord must comply with building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety and 'make all repairs and do whatever is reasonably necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition.' S.C. Code § 27-40-440(a)(1)-(2) | No statute — no bed-bug or pest-specific law. The landlord's general duty to keep the premises fit and habitable applies; the tenant must keep the unit and the part of the premises the tenant uses reasonably safe and clean and dispose of garbage in a reasonably clean and safe manner. If the written lease conspicuously says so, the landlord may enter without consent between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., after announcing intent, for regularly scheduled termite, insect or pest treatment. S.C. Code §§ 27-40-440(a)(2), 27-40-510(2)-(3), 27-40-530(b)(2) | Yes. The landlord must make available reasonable heat (and running and reasonable hot water) except where the building is not required by law to be equipped for heat or the heat is generated by an installation in the tenant's exclusive control on a direct utility connection, and must keep landlord-supplied heating facilities in reasonably good and safe working order. Heat is an 'essential service.' No statewide minimum temperature or heating season. S.C. Code §§ 27-40-440(a)(4)-(5), 27-40-210(17) |
| Georgia | No statute — Georgia has no mold-specific landlord-tenant law (no mold disclosure or remediation standard). Mold is addressed under the landlord's general duty to keep the premises in repair and, since July 1, 2024, the implied term in every residential lease that the premises are fit for human habitation. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13(a), (b) (as amended by HB 404, 2024) | No statute — Georgia law does not specifically assign pest or bed-bug treatment or require a bed-bug disclosure. Pest problems fall under the landlord's general repair duty and the fit-for-habitation requirement; the state handbook advises that leases spell out pest control, including how often it occurs. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13; Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (DCA, rev. 8-29-24), p. 10 | No statewide statute sets a heat requirement, minimum temperature, or heating season. Under the general repair duty, the state handbook says landlords must keep electric, heating, cooling, and plumbing in working order. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13; Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (DCA, rev. 8-29-24), p. 11 |
| North Carolina | No mold-specific statute, but excessive standing water, sewage, or flooding caused by plumbing leaks or inadequate drainage that contributes to mold is an 'imminently dangerous condition' the landlord must repair within a reasonable time after actual knowledge or notice. The general duty to keep the premises fit and habitable also applies. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-42(a)(2), (a)(8)(l) | No bed-bug statute. Rat infestation resulting from structural defects that leave the premises not impervious to rodents is an 'imminently dangerous condition' the landlord must remedy within a reasonable time; drainage problems contributing to mosquito infestation are also listed. The tenant must keep the unit clean and safe, avoid unsanitary conditions in common areas, and dispose of garbage properly. N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-42(a)(2), (a)(8)(k)-(l); 42-43(a)(1)-(2) | Yes. The landlord must keep heating facilities in good and safe working order (after written notice of needed repairs, except emergencies), and lack of operable heating facilities capable of heating living areas to 65°F when it is 20°F outside, from November 1 through March 31, is an imminently dangerous condition requiring prompt repair. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-42(a)(4), (a)(8)(h) |
More South Carolina rental law
- South Carolina Security Deposit Law
- South Carolina Eviction Laws
- South Carolina Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in South Carolina
- South Carolina Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- South Carolina Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in South Carolina
- Squatters' Rights in South Carolina
- South Carolina Rental Fee Rules
- South Carolina Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- South Carolina Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- South Carolina Landlord Selling the House
- South Carolina Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- South Carolina Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All South Carolina landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in South Carolina
Compare mold, pests, heat & ac in all 50 states and DC →
South Carolina Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules FAQ
Does a landlord have to fix mold in South Carolina?
No statute — general habitability/repair duty applies. South Carolina has no mold disclosure, remediation or exposure-standard law for rentals; the landlord must comply with building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety and 'make all repairs and do whatever is reasonably necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition.' (S.C. Code § 27-40-440(a)(1)-(2))
Who pays for pest control and bed bugs in South Carolina?
No statute — no bed-bug or pest-specific law. The landlord's general duty to keep the premises fit and habitable applies; the tenant must keep the unit and the part of the premises the tenant uses reasonably safe and clean and dispose of garbage in a reasonably clean and safe manner. If the written lease conspicuously says so, the landlord may enter without consent between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., after announcing intent, for regularly scheduled termite, insect or pest treatment. (S.C. Code §§ 27-40-440(a)(2), 27-40-510(2)-(3), 27-40-530(b)(2))
Does a landlord have to provide heat in South Carolina?
Yes. The landlord must make available reasonable heat (and running and reasonable hot water) except where the building is not required by law to be equipped for heat or the heat is generated by an installation in the tenant's exclusive control on a direct utility connection, and must keep landlord-supplied heating facilities in reasonably good and safe working order. Heat is an 'essential service.' No statewide minimum temperature or heating season. (S.C. Code §§ 27-40-440(a)(4)-(5), 27-40-210(17))
Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning in South Carolina?
No state requirement to provide air conditioning or a maximum indoor temperature. If the landlord supplies air conditioning, it must be kept in reasonably good and safe working order; appliances in the unit are presumed landlord-supplied unless the rental agreement specifically excludes them. (S.C. Code § 27-40-440(a)(5))
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.