State Specific Question About: SOUTH CAROLINA (SC)

I am renting out several rooms in my house and have several questions,

1), should I have them sign a lease

2), should I have them sign a release of liability.

For either question if the answer is yes, can you tell me where to get these forms.

Yes, you should have them sign a lease. This sets down in writhing exactly what has been agreed to, just in case someone’s memory gets a bit fuzzy as time goes on. Also, if things go wrong and you end up in a court, there will be no he-said-she-said moments.

There are often different laws concerning separate rental units and leasing out rooms in your private home. The laws regarding rentals very widely from State to State, even town to town. Some places are highly regulated while others have almost no laws at all. You will need to find out what is required for your particular area. This HUD sight offers a lot of information and seems to be a good place to start.

www.hud.gov/local/sc/renting/tenantrights.cfm

I am not sure what liabilities your are hoping to be released from. Usually these things are covered in the body of the lease agreement. However, even if it is a separate document, you will still need to comply with the SC laws.

If you Google South Carolina Lease, you will find many online forms that you can download for a small fee. I found a free, generic lease listed at www.ilrg.com/forms/lease-res/us/sc.

I highly recommend that you whichever form you decide to use that you read it completely and carefully to be sure that it complies with both your State and local laws and that it properly covers your particular rental. You should understand and be able to explain every section to your prospective tenants in plain English.

Write back and let us know how things work out, or ask more questions as you get further into the process. Good Luck!