Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Missouri

We live in Missouri. We issued a notice of intent to vacate to our previous landlord on June 30, stating we would be moved out by July 31 (which we did and returned the key), and we gave our forwarding address on said notice. As of Aug. 21, we've not received a notification of an inspection date from the landlord, nor have we received our security deposit or a notice detailing what the deposit was retained for. We found out the landlord rented the duplex apartment we moved out of on or around August 5. What steps should we take if we do not receive the deposit or notice by August 30?


Asked on 8/21/09, 11:53 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Anthony DeWitt Bartimus, Frickleton Robertson & Gorny, PC

Send a nice letter asking for the money. It should be nice because you may need to show it to the judge in Small Claims Court, and you don�t want it to be nasty. Tell the landlord you want your full deposit back if he has not provided you with a right to inspect and with an itemized list of damages. If he fails in either regard, he is liable for double damages under the law. Just ask him for the deposit. Send you letter with a return receipt request. If he doesn�t respond in 10 days, take him to small claims court and make a claim for double the amount of the deposit.

Good luck.

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Answered on 8/21/09, 12:02 pm


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