S.C. Code Ann. § 27-47-460
Duty to maintain safe premises; owner not guarantor of safety
Operative Text
An owner is not the guarantor of the safety of residents or invitees but shall exercise due care to keep the portion of the premises under the owner's control in a reasonably safe condition.
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 27-47-460, property owners are not automatically responsible for every harm that occurs on their premises, but they are required to exercise reasonable care to keep the areas they control in a safe condition. The rule draws a line between absolute liability and a duty-of-care standard: owners must take reasonable steps to address hazards in areas they manage, but they are not insurers of everyone's safety. This provision applies to both residents and invitees—people who are lawfully present on the property.
Plain English — not legal advice.
S.C. Code Ann. § 27-47-460 establishes that compliant property owners and managers routinely inspect and maintain the areas of a property under their control—such as common hallways, stairwells, parking lots, and shared amenities—to identify and address reasonably foreseeable hazards. Operators generally document maintenance requests, repair timelines, and completed work to demonstrate that due care was exercised. While owners are not guarantors of safety, a pattern of ignored hazards or deferred maintenance in owner-controlled areas can be relevant to whether the due-care standard was met.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
S.C. Code Ann. § 27-47-460 gives residents and lawful visitors a basis to expect that the areas of a property under the owner's control are kept in a reasonably safe condition. If a hazardous condition exists in a common area or another owner-controlled space, tenants may document the condition, notify the owner or manager in writing, and retain copies of that correspondence. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid services can help residents understand what options may be available when an owner's maintenance practices appear to fall short of the due-care standard this provision describes.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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