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
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 West Virginia, 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: Landlord forfeits the right to retain; you can recover the unreturned deposit plus damages equal to 1.5x the amount wrongfully withheld