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Landlord-Tenant Law Landlord-Tenant Law
Under Missouri law, a landlord cannot charge more than two
months’ rent as a security deposit.
At the end of the lease, the landlord has 30 days to return the
security deposit with an itemized list of damages for which
any portion of the deposit is kept.
During that 30-day period, the landlord must provide
reasonable notice to the tenant of the time and date when the
landlord plans to inspect the dwelling.
The tenant has the right to be present during the move-out
inspection, which must be conducted at a reasonable time.
To avoid last-minute problems, tenants should ask the
landlord in what condition he expects the unit to be left. Then
allow plenty of time for cleaning.
The landlord may keep all or part of a deposit to pay for actual
damages (not for normal wear and tear), unpaid rent, or lost
rent due to the tenant moving out without adequate notice.
The tenant may not use the security deposit to pay the last
month’s rent.
Remember to give the landlord your forwarding address in
writing. Otherwise, he may not be able to send your deposit.
(When moving, it is also a good idea to provide a “forwarding
order” to the post office.)
If the landlord has wrongfully withheld all or part of a
deposit, the tenant may sue to recover up to twice the amount
wrongfully withheld.
Security Deposit