After a lease is terminated, within how many weeks is the tenant entitled to the return of their security deposit?

In South Dakota, when a lease is terminated, the landlord is required to return the tenant's security deposit within two weeks. This time frame is designed to ensure that tenants are not left waiting indefinitely for their deposit, which is often a significant amount of money.

The two-week period also allows landlords sufficient time to conduct any necessary inspections of the property to assess for damages and to determine if any deductions from the security deposit are warranted according to the lease agreement and applicable laws. After this evaluation period, if the landlord finds no damages or issues, they must return the full deposit. If there are deductions, the landlord must provide an itemized list of those deductions along with the remaining balance of the deposit.

This regulation is in place to promote fair housing practices and to protect tenant rights, ensuring that the process remains transparent and prompt.