The law in plain English
Return deadline
Under Mo. Stat. Section 535.300, the deposit response usually has to be sent within 30 days of the move-out timeline described by the state rule.
Required notice
Missouri generally requires an itemized list of deductions and any remaining deposit within 30 days after the tenancy ends.
This dispute type
Painting deductions are usually weakest when the landlord is refreshing the unit for the next tenant, covering faded walls, or addressing minor marks from normal occupancy. In Missouri, the refund deadline and deduction notice rules still apply even if the landlord claims the walls needed work.
Penalty leverage
If the withholding was wrongful or in bad faith, the exposure allowed under the statute is: You can recover up to twice the amount wrongfully withheld