Landlord kept your deposit in Mississippi? Find your next step.
No refund, only part of your money back, or charges you disagree with? Start with what you received, then build a response using your records and Mississippi law.
Analysis free · Full case package $29-$49, one time · mailing optional
The deadline check is optional. See what you get
What do you need help with?
Open the situation that fits. Each route gives you something to check, something to keep, and a next step.
I received nothingNo refund and no list of deductions.
Check the trigger, then the date. No later than 45 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, and demand by the tenant - the clock arguably doesn't start until the tenant demands the deposit in writing.
Keep: your deposit payment, move-out or key-return record, forwarding-address notice and any earlier written request. These establish the timeline behind your demand.
Analyze my missing refund - free →I received part of my depositSome money came back. Find out what explains the difference.
Reconcile the refund. Compare the original deposit, what was returned and each deduction. Separate charges you accept from charges you dispute.
Check the amount they kept - free →Enter the refund and deductions in the case builder. You do not need a separate worksheet first.
The Mississippi accounting rule: Any claim on the deposit requires a written notice delivered to the tenant that itemizes the amounts claimed; permitted deductions are unpaid rent, damage beyond ordinary wear, cleaning on termination, and other reasonable default-related expenses.
Keep: the refund record, deduction list and notice envelope or delivery record. If money is still unexplained, identify that gap in your written request.
I disagree with the deductionsYou have a charge list, whether or not a refund arrived.
Respond to the specific charges. Note each amount, why you dispute it, and which photo, message or record supports your position. Check the notice instructions above before choosing how and when to reply.
Check my deductions - free →The records rule in Mississippi: No receipts requirement; only an itemized written notice of amounts claimed.
No move-in photos? Use an inventory checklist, inspection report, dated repair request, messages or witness accounts to explain the condition.
I already sent a demandThe landlord has not paid, or the dispute is still unresolved.
Keep the response and delivery record with your demand. Check each charge against the lease and the statutory grounds for withholding before escalating.
See the Mississippi court route →Keep: your sent demand, delivery record and any reply. Use the court guide to check where to file, which forms to use, and the filing and service costs.
Turn the dispute into a documented demand
- Free: understand your dispute
- Add your refund, charges and records. Get a charge-by-charge analysis of the deposit rules and potential remedies under Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21.
- Optional: your case documents, $29-$49
- Your demand letter, damages summary and evidence checklist, ready to review and send with your records. Mailing is optional and costs extra.
One charge, backed by a reason and records
Fictional Mississippi example. Assumes coverage under the cited law; not a customer outcome.
- The charge
- Repainting ordinary wall scuffs: $900
- Records to attach
- move-in photos and move-out photos
Open PDF ↗In the generated letter
Ordinary wear and tear - not deductible. Repainting after a tenancy is ordinary wear and tear unless the walls were damaged beyond normal use (large holes, unauthorized colors). Dated move-in and move-out photos help distinguish ordinary wear from tenant-caused damage.
Prefer to write it yourself? Use the free Mississippi letter template.
Before you call the refund late
No later than 45 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, and demand by the tenant - the clock arguably doesn't start until the tenant demands the deposit in writing.
Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21 ↗Deposit statute reviewed August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules.
Check the return timeline
Optional date estimate. Read the start conditions above; a passed date alone does not establish a violation. Your date and deposit amount carry into the free analysis.
Already know the dates? Go straight to the refund and charges.
Continue to my free analysis →Questions before your next step
What should I do first if my landlord kept my deposit in Mississippi?
Check the statutory deadline. No later than 45 days after termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, and demand by the tenant - the clock arguably doesn't start until the tenant demands the deposit in writing. Save your move-out records, any refund and the itemized statement. Compare them with the deadline and deduction rules below.
Do I need a lawyer to get my deposit back in Mississippi?
You can write a demand yourself. If you consider a court claim, justice court (limit: $3,500) is designed for self-represented tenants - filing fees run about $50-$100 depending on county, service included.
What happens if my landlord doesn't return my security deposit in 45 days in Mississippi?
No automatic forfeiture is spelled out for missing 45 days; wrongful retention exposes the landlord to the deposit as actual damages plus a capped bad-faith penalty.
What can I ask to recover in a Mississippi deposit dispute?
Retention 'with absence of good faith' may subject the landlord to damages not to exceed $200, in addition to actual damages (the withheld deposit) - discretionary and capped, one of the weakest deposit penalties in the country (§ 89-8-21).
Read the full Mississippi deposit-law guide for the return, deduction and remedy rules.