Mississippi Tenants
A professional demand letter citing Mississippi's security deposit statute (Miss. Code § 89-8-21), the 45-day return deadline, and the bad-faith penalty. Ready in minutes.
Deadline
45 days
to return your deposit after move-out
Penalty
up to $200
statutory damages, plus actual damages
Statute
§ 89-8-21
Mississippi Code
Under Miss. Code § 89-8-21, your landlord has 45 days after your tenancy ends and you make a demand to return your security deposit or provide a written, itemized list of any deductions.
If the landlord wrongfully withholds your deposit in bad faith, you may recover:
So a $1,500 deposit wrongfully withheld can support a judgment for the deposit plus up to $200 in statutory damages. Most landlords settle quickly once they realize you know the law.
Note: The 45-day clock runs from the later of termination, delivery of possession, and your written demand — which your letter provides. Mississippi has no deposit cap and no interest or escrow requirement.
Every letter follows the structure courts expect — your facts, the statute, a specific demand, and a deadline. Here's the skeleton; the generator fills the brackets from your answers and computes Mississippi's deadlines under § 89-8-21.
[Date]
[Your name]
[Your forwarding address]
[Landlord's name and address]
RE: Security Deposit — Formal Demand for Return of $[Amount]
I am the former tenant of [rental property address]. You accepted a security deposit of $[Amount], and my tenancy ended on [move-out date]. My forwarding address for return of the deposit is stated above, which I am providing to you in writing.
Under § 89-8-21, you were required to [return the deposit or provide an itemized statement] within [the statutory period]. That period has passed, and you have done neither. [The specific consequence Mississippi law attaches, cited by section.]
I demand return of $[Amount] no later than [deadline]. If I do not receive it, I am prepared to pursue all remedies available under [statute], including filing suit in the appropriate court.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
45 days after you move out.
Retention in the absence of good faith exposes the landlord to statutory damages not to exceed $200 in addition to the tenant’s actual damages under § 89-8-21(4). Failure to provide an itemized list within 45 days can be evidence of bad faith.
Miss. Code § 89-8-21. We verify these against the statute text itself; the date we last checked is shown on this page.
Sources & verification
The Mississippi rules on this page were verified against the statute text itself:
Last verified against primary sources on .
How we verify this →Laws change. If you spot something out of date, tell us at support@gettenantshield.com and we'll correct it.
Properly formatted, addressed to your landlord by name, citing the exact Mississippi statutes that apply to your situation.
Miss. Code § 89-8-21 and any others triggered by your circumstances — not generic legalese.
The letter computes the exact dollar amount you're entitled to demand based on your deposit and the deductions at issue.
Download instantly, print, sign, and send via USPS Certified Mail with Return Receipt.
Most Mississippi landlords return the deposit within days of receiving a properly drafted demand letter.
Generate my letter — $39