The law in plain English
Return deadline
Under W. Va. Code Sections 37-6A-1 to 37-6A-6, the deposit response usually has to be sent within 60 days of the move-out timeline described by the state rule.
Required notice
West Virginia generally does not impose a statewide deposit cap, and the landlord usually has 60 days to send the refund and itemized statement before forfeiture and enhanced-damages arguments come into play.
This dispute type
West Virginia renters usually push back on carpet-cleaning deductions when the landlord appears to be charging for routine turnover rather than a tenant-caused problem. The timing, itemization, and bad-faith rules still matter even when the landlord says the carpet needed extra work.
Penalty leverage
If the withholding was wrongful or in bad faith, the exposure allowed under the statute is: Landlord forfeits the right to retain; you can recover the unreturned deposit plus damages equal to 1.5x the amount wrongfully withheld