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DRAFT FOR ATTORNEY REVIEW — NOT FINAL

Section 535

Citation
Section 535
Parent Document
Lastra v. Intercontinental Investments Co., 745 S.W.2d 703 (1987)
Jurisdiction
Missouri (state)
Effective Date
1987-12-22

Full Text

1,162 chars
Section 535.300.5, RSMo 1986, also provides for the tenant’s remedy in the event the landlord does not comply with the statute and make the refund. In that event, “the tenant shall recover as damages not more than twice the amount wrongfully withheld.” Prior to enactment of this statute, a tenant in the circumstances of appellants could resort to a common law remedy for refund of a security or rent deposit by an action for conversion or for breach of contract and could recover only upon proof of the elements of the cause of action stated. The statute, however, has created a new right with respect to such claims rendering it unnecessary for a tenant to prove the common law elements of conversion or breach of contract. The tenant-claimant need only show that the deposit was not refunded within thirty days and that no itemized list of damages to which the deposit was applied has been furnished by the landlord. The subject of claims for refund of security deposits to tenants has been pre-empted by the legislative enactment which created the rights and obligations and limited the allowance of damages to not more than twice the amount of the deposit.