The law in plain English
Return deadline
Under Miss. Code Section 89-8-21, the deposit response usually has to be sent within 45 days of the move-out timeline described by the state rule.
Required notice
Mississippi generally does not impose a statewide deposit cap, but the landlord usually has 45 days after termination of occupancy to send the refund and itemized statement, and wrongful withholding can add a fixed statutory penalty.
This dispute type
Once the Mississippi deadline passes, the dispute stops being only about the deductions and becomes a deadline-compliance problem too. A landlord may still argue damage existed, but Miss. Code § 89-8-21 sets the clock for returning the balance and explaining any amount withheld.
Penalty leverage
If the withholding was wrongful or in bad faith, the exposure allowed under the statute is: You can recover the amount wrongfully withheld plus an additional $200 penalty