First Steps If a Business Misled You
Gather the paper now.
- Contracts, estimates, invoices, warranties.
- Screenshots of the listing or ad. Posts get edited.
- Bank and card statements.
- Notes on each call. Dates, names, exact words.
- Photos of the unfinished job or broken product.
- Hold off on signing anything new.
One folder, one timeline. Who promised what, and when.
Common Disputes in North Charleston
North Charleston has used car lots up and down Rivers Avenue, older homes around Park Circle that need new roofs and wiring, and plenty of renters dealing with move-in fees and deposits. A North Charleston buyer might find a salvage title after the sale, or a homeowner might pay half up front for a roof that never gets started. Some of that is a plain contract fight. Some may go further.
South Carolina Law on Unfair Trade Practices
What the Act Covers
The South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of trade or commerce.1 A broken promise isn't automatically a violation. To bring a private claim under the Act, a person must show the practice affects the public interest, which a purely private contract dispute usually does not.2 Conduct that hurt other customers, or could be repeated, is the kind of thing that may matter.
Time to File
Claims under the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act generally must be filed within three years after the unlawful conduct is discovered.3 Don't guess at the dates. A lawyer can check them and look at whether a contract claim or something else fits better.
More on consumer protection claims in South Carolina.
Want someone to look at your situation?
Talk with our team about what happened and ask the questions on your mind.
Talk With Us
Losing money to someone you trusted stings. Walk us through the pitch, the payment and the result. If it's really a contract dispute, we'll say so.
We take cases across South Carolina, including North Charleston. Our office is on King Street in downtown Charleston. If a business is spreading lies about you, our North Charleston defamation page covers that.
South Carolina Law on This
- The South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of trade or commerce.1
- To bring a private claim under the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act, a person must show the practice affects the public interest, which a purely private contract dispute usually does not.2
- Claims under the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act generally must be filed within three years after the unlawful conduct is discovered.3
- To bring a private claim under South Carolina's Unfair Trade Practices Act, a person generally must have suffered an ascertainable loss of money or property caused by the unfair or deceptive conduct. The loss does not necessarily have to be an out-of-pocket payment; other measurable property or economic losses may qualify.4
- Under the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act, a person who suffers a financial or property loss because of an unlawful unfair or deceptive business practice may sue to recover actual damages. If the court finds that the violation was willful or knowing, it must award three times the actual damages. A court that finds a violation in a qualifying private lawsuit must also award reasonable attorney's fees and costs.5
Frequently Asked Questions
I signed the contract. Is that the end of it?
Not necessarily. To bring a private claim under the Act, a person must show the practice affects the public interest, which a purely private contract dispute usually does not.2 What the seller promised, what the paper says and what you lost all count. A lawyer can sort contract claim from trade practice claim.
Must I have lost money?
To bring a private claim under South Carolina's Unfair Trade Practices Act, a person generally must have suffered an ascertainable loss of money or property caused by the unfair or deceptive conduct. The loss does not necessarily have to be an out-of-pocket payment; other measurable property or economic losses may qualify.4
What could I recover?
A person who suffers a financial or property loss because of an unlawful unfair or deceptive business practice may sue to recover actual damages. If the court finds that the violation was willful or knowing, it must award three times the actual damages, and a court that finds a violation in a qualifying private lawsuit must also award reasonable attorney's fees and costs.5 Nothing is assured.
Do I have to come downtown to talk?
The first conversation can happen by phone. Our office is on King Street in downtown Charleston, south of North Charleston by way of I-26 or Rivers Avenue. If travel is hard, we can come to you instead: the hospital, your home or wherever is easiest.
Sources
This page is general information about South Carolina law, not legal advice for your situation. Every case depends on its own facts.
