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
In Mississippi, renters usually challenge deposit deductions for scuffs, faded paint, flattened carpet, and similar aging because those issues look more like ordinary use than repairable damage. The statute still controls when the refund had to be sent and how deductions had to be explained.
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