The law in plain English
Return deadline
Under Utah Code Sections 57-17-1 to 57-17-5, the deposit response usually has to be sent within 30 days of the move-out timeline described by the state rule.
Required notice
Utah generally does not impose a statewide deposit cap, and the landlord usually has 30 days to send the refund and itemized statement; if that deadline is missed, the tenant can send statutory notice and the landlord gets 5 more days to comply.
This dispute type
Once the Utah 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 Utah Code §§ 57-17-1 to 57-17-5 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: Landlord forfeits the right to retain any portion; you can recover the full deposit amount plus a $100 civil penalty