Rental Lease questions

[Nicole Andres]

Last October we received a single paper document from the new owners of our apartment complex. It was headed as a Lease Renewal Request, originally we moved in June of 2017 and this is the 3rd owner. There was a lapse of 4 months where we did not receive anything from these owners. It stated that the new lease would be from November 2020 to November 2021. We did sign this paper.  We live in South Carolina. 

My question is, since we have not received nor signed an actual lease with the new owners, can we move out before the lease is up, without penalty, and still receive our deposit back that we gave to the 1st owner?  I know for a fact that people who have chosen to leave, never received their deposits even though they stated they would be leaving when they received this letter and left within the time allotted as well as clean inspection after move out. It’s a shady company for sure as I have already (as well as several other tenants) have experienced them lying and not giving appropriate notices as to when they would be entering apartments or shutting off water, IF they even gave notice. 

Thank you,

Nicole A