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
An itemized statement is how renters learn what the landlord says was damaged, what each deduction was for, and whether the withholding was timely. In Missouri, failure to provide that breakdown can strengthen a renter's challenge even before the underlying repair issue is resolved.
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