Can I terminate my lease due to a bedbug problem?

Full question:

Hi,I renewed my lease the beginning of the august for 6 months and after 2 weeks, I experienced the bedbug problems. I informed the landlord about this problem and first of all, they said that you need to call exterminator. The cost of hiring exterminators is expensive and I said that this is so much. After a while, I talked to them one more time.I think that my some neighbors also had bedbug problems and they also informed the landlord about the problem and one week later exterminators came to and sprayed my house one time. Even they sprayed once my apartment, there is still bedbug problem. I said to them that I cannot stay there and I could not feel comfortable in my apartment and I want to move out to different place and to terminate my contract. They did not offer other apartments to me for staying. They said that you have to pay reminder rents and you cannot terminate the lease.I should have right to terminate the lease in some cases. If I can not feel safe and comfortable there, how can I stay there. There should be something I can do.I moved out to different house and I was wondering that should I pay reminder rents for my apartment. What is my right as a tenant and what are landlord's rights in this case. What do you suggest to me?

• Category: Landlord Tenant
• Subcategory: Lease Termination
• Date: 04/07/2025
• State: South Carolina

Answer:

A landlord's failure to address issues affecting the habitability of a rental unit may allow a tenant to terminate the lease. Generally, landlords must provide safe and sanitary housing. This obligation, known as the warranty of habitability, means that landlords must maintain livable conditions throughout the lease term. If a problem, like a bedbug infestation, significantly impacts the health and safety of tenants, it may violate this warranty.

To establish a breach of the warranty of habitability, the tenant must show that they notified the landlord of the issue and that the landlord had a reasonable opportunity to fix it but failed to do so. Factors that courts consider include whether the issue violates housing laws, the seriousness of the defect, its impact on safety and sanitation, how long the problem has persisted, and the age of the building.

If the landlord does not remedy the situation within fourteen days of notice, the tenant may terminate the lease. However, if the problem was caused by the tenant's actions, they may not be able to terminate the lease. In your case, if the bedbug issue persists after notifying the landlord, you may have grounds to terminate your lease. However, you should consider consulting with a legal professional to understand your specific rights and obligations under South Carolina law, particularly regarding the payment of remaining rent after moving out.

For more information on tenant rights and landlord obligations, you can refer to South Carolina statutes, specifically SC Code § 27-40-440 and § 27-40-610. Users can search for state-specific legal templates at .