Can my landlord enter to show my apartment to the next tenant?

Yes, but only with 24 hours' written notice. Your landlord can enter to show the property to prospective tenants, buyers, or their agents—that's a legitimate reason under S.C. Code § 27-40-730. However, the notice must be in writing and must give you a full 24 hours (or more) before they show up. If you're not comfortable with that, you can ask for a specific time when you'll be present.

What if my landlord just slides a notice under my door the morning they want to enter that afternoon?

That doesn't meet the 24-hour requirement. If you receive notice on Monday morning for Monday afternoon entry, your landlord hasn't given you enough time. The 24 hours needs to elapse before they can legally enter, unless it's a genuine emergency like a fire or active water damage.

Can my landlord enter at 6 a.m. or 10 p.m. if they gave notice?

The law requires entry at "reasonable times," and South Carolina courts generally interpret that as normal business hours (roughly 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.). Even with proper notice, entering at 6 a.m. or 10 p.m. is likely unreasonable and could be considered a violation of your right to quiet enjoyment of the property.

Landlord Entry Notice Laws in Rock Hill, South Carolina

The Short Answer

In Rock Hill, South Carolina, your landlord has to give you at least 24 hours' written notice before entering your rental unit, except in genuine emergencies.

Yeah, that's the baseline—but there's a lot of confusion about what counts as an emergency and what your landlord actually needs to say in that notice.

What South Carolina Law Actually Says About Entry

Here's the thing: South Carolina's Residential Tenancy Act (S.C. Code § 27-40-730) is pretty clear on this, but a lot of Rock Hill tenants and honestly some landlords too don't fully understand it. Your landlord can't just waltz into your place whenever they feel like it. They need a legitimate reason, and they need to give you proper notice.

The law spells out specific reasons your landlord can enter your unit: to make repairs or alterations, to show the property to prospective tenants or buyers, to assess the condition of the property, or to deal with emergencies. The catch? Most of those reasons require that 24-hour notice in writing. An emergency is the only time they can skip the notice requirement. — worth keeping in mind

What Counts as "Written Notice" in Rock Hill

Your landlord needs to give you written notice—not just a text or a phone call (though honestly, some landlords try that).

The notice doesn't have to be fancy or formal, but it does need to be in writing and it needs to give you at least 24 hours before they show up. That means if they slide a notice under your door on Monday morning saying they're coming Monday afternoon, that doesn't cut it. They've got to give you notice the day before, or at minimum, 24 full hours. Email counts as written notice, so does a letter, so does a notice taped to your door—as long as it's actually delivered to you.

The Emergency Exception (And Why It Matters)

Honestly, this is where most disputes start.

S.C. Code § 27-40-730 does allow landlords to enter without notice in "emergencies." But here's what people get wrong: your landlord doesn't get to decide unilaterally that something is an emergency. The law means genuine, serious situations—like a fire, a flood, a gas leak, or a burst pipe that's actively damaging the property. Your landlord thinking they need to check on something isn't an emergency. Your landlord being curious about how you're maintaining the place isn't an emergency.

If your landlord enters without notice claiming it was an emergency, and you don't actually believe it was one, you've got a potential illegal entry claim. That's a serious problem for them, not you.

What Most People Get Wrong About "Reasonable Times"

Look, there's no specific statute in South Carolina that says your landlord can only enter between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., but the law does require entry at "reasonable times" (that's in S.C. Code § 27-40-730). Courts in South Carolina have generally understood "reasonable" to mean normal business hours—roughly between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Your landlord showing up at midnight to "check the thermostat" probably isn't reasonable, even if they technically gave you 24 hours' notice.

The problem is that "reasonable" is subjective, and if a dispute ends up in small claims court in York County (where Rock Hill is located), a judge would have to decide whether your landlord's timing was actually reasonable. That's why it's smart to document everything—if your landlord repeatedly enters at weird hours, keep a record.

Your Right to Be Present During Entry

You don't automatically have the right to be there when your landlord enters, but here's the practical reality in Rock Hill: if your landlord is making repairs or showing the unit, they often need you there to unlock the door or answer questions about the lease terms. The statute doesn't explicitly guarantee you can be present, but it also doesn't say the landlord can prevent you from being there.

If you want to be present (which is honestly a good idea), you can ask your landlord to schedule the entry when you're home, and most reasonable landlords will accommodate that. If your landlord insists on entering when you're not there and you're worried about your possessions or privacy, you can suggest they use a lockbox or arrange for you to be there. Just keep the conversation in writing so you have documentation.

What Happens If Your Landlord Violates the Entry Law

If your landlord enters without proper notice or without a legitimate reason, that's a violation of your quiet enjoyment of the property—a legal term that basically means your right to use the place without unreasonable interference. In Rock Hill, you could potentially:

Sue for damages in small claims court (York County courts handle these)
Break your lease without penalty if the violation is substantial and repeated
File a complaint with the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation

The challenge is proving the entry happened and that notice wasn't given. This is why documenting everything matters. If you see evidence that your landlord entered (like a maintenance log, or you caught them on a security camera), keep that record.

Getting Everything in Writing

Real talk—your best protection is paper (or pixels). When your landlord gives you notice, ask them to put it in writing if they haven't already. When you respond or make requests about entry, do it in writing. Text messages, emails, and notes all work.

If your landlord says they gave you notice but you never got it, you've got a problem proving otherwise unless you have communication history showing you were never notified. A quick email after they tell you verbally (like, "Just confirming—you're coming Tuesday at 10 a.m. to fix the kitchen sink?") creates evidence that protects both of you, honestly.

Rock Hill-Specific Enforcement

Rock Hill doesn't have separate local tenant entry laws beyond the state statute—you're governed by South Carolina's statewide Residential Tenancy Act. (More on this below.) If you have a dispute with your landlord over entry, you'd file a claim in Rock Hill's small claims court (part of York County Court), and the judge would apply S.C. Code § 27-40-730. There's no separate Rock Hill ordinance that gives you more protection, but there's also nothing that gives landlords more freedom.

If your landlord is a property management company, they're still bound by the same rules. Being managed by a company doesn't give them extra rights to enter whenever they want.