City of Aiken Renters & Landlords Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make repairs to my rental property myself?
What is a “Specialty Contractor”? Do they need a contractor’s license?
A Residential Specialty Contractor is an independent contractor who is not a licensed residential builder. The Specialty Contractor contracts with licensed residential builders, general contractors, or individual property owners to do construction work, repairs, improvements, or re-improvements which requires special skills and involves the use of specialized construction trades or crafts, when the undertakings exceed two hundred dollars ($200) and are not regulated by certain other code provisions.
Residential Specialty Contracting includes the following areas of contracting and other areas as the commission may recognize by regulation:
- plumbers (state examination required for license);
- electricians (state examination required for license);
- heating and air conditioning installers and repairers (state examination required for license);
- vinyl and aluminum siding installers;
- insulation installers;
- roofers;
- floor covering installers;
- masons;
- dry wall installers/repairs;
- carpenters;
- stucco installers;
- painters/wall paper specialist.
Is a contractor or someone with a specialty license required to get a City business license?
Yes. Any person who does any type of construction in the City of Aiken for profit is required to obtain a business license prior to doing work and, if necessary, obtain a permit. Please contact the Business License Administrator at 803-642-7642 for questions about business licensing.
Where can I find general information about mold?
Please contact South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC)’s Air Quality Bureau at 803-898-4123 or go to DHEC online for more information at http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/baq/IndoorAirQuality/ . The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also has mold information on their web page located at http://www.epa.gov/mold/.