Renter Deadlines & Rights

Mississippi gives renters little, and almost all of it is deadline-shaped. Enter one date — a notice, a judgment, the day you moved out — and get the date that clock runs out, plus Starkville's own rental rules. Not legal advice.

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Getting your deposit back

The number is 45 days. The thing that decides whether you get it is the paperwork you generate on your way out.

Send a written demand with a forwarding address, and keep a copy. The 45-day clock runs from the last of three things — the tenancy ending, you giving up possession, and your demand (§ 89-8-21(3)).

Mississippi sets no cap on what a landlord can hold as a deposit, and no interest is owed on it.

If the landlord keeps any part of it, the written notice they give you must itemize the amounts (§ 89-8-21(3)).

Bad-faith retention: the penalty is not more than $200, plus your actual damages (§ 89-8-21(4)).

There are no attorney's fees in this chapter — the word "attorney" does not appear in any of its 23 sections. If you are weighing whether it is worth chasing $300, that ceiling is the number to weigh it against. Justice Court's $3,500 civil limit covers most deposit claims.

A lease clause that shortens the 45 days is void. § 89-8-5: a landlord or tenant "may not agree to waive or otherwise forego any of the rights, duties or remedies under this chapter."

Rule: Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-5, 89-8-21

Repairs: the 30 days, and the four conditions on repair-and-deduct

Put the defect in writing. That is what starts the landlord's 30 days under § 89-8-15(1) — a verbal complaint starts nothing you can prove later.

If they do not fix it, you may be able to have it repaired and be reimbursed. All four of these must be true: the repair costs no more than one month's rent; you have not used this remedy in the preceding 6 months; you are current on your rent; and you have met your own tenant obligations under § 89-8-25.

Submit receipted bills. The landlord then has 45 days to reimburse you (§ 89-8-15(1)(b)).

The cost may be offset against future rent (§ 89-8-15(4)).

It creates no lien on the property (§ 89-8-15(5)) — this is a reimbursement right, not a claim against the building.

For heat, cooling, smoke detectors or utilities, the city's rental standards are the stronger lever — see Starkville's own rules below and report it to Community Development as well as to your landlord.

Starkville's own rules — and they are better than the state's

The city regulates rental housing itself, on top of state law. Two of these are more use to a renter than anything in Chapter 8.

Air conditioning is mandatory here, which is unusual. UDC § 17.2.1 adopts the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code, and § 17.2.2 replaces its Section 602 with the city's own rule: heat from 1 October to 1 April, at least 68 °F in all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms; cooling from 1 April to 1 October, no more than 80 °F in all habitable rooms.

And there is a clock on it. Where required cooling equipment is inoperable, the owner "shall provide temporary cooling … within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed 24 hours" (UDC § 17.2.2). In a Mississippi July that is the single most useful line on this page.

Your unit has to be registered and licensed. UDC § 17.6.2: "It shall be unlawful for any person and/or entity to maintain or operate any rental housing unit(s) within the City of Starkville unless such person or entity has registered the property and has obtained a rental housing license and privilege license." Hotels, motels, short-term rentals and bed-and-breakfasts are excluded.

Smoke detectors are the owner's job, batteries included: installation, battery replacement, keeping the records, and making sure they are operable before anyone re-occupies the unit — with proof of battery replacement required at inspection (UDC § 17.6.8).

An owner may not shut off required utilities, other than a temporary interruption while repairs are actually being made (UDC § 17.6.8).

Inspection is complaint-driven, not periodic. The Building Official "may request to inspect", and on refusal "shall not make entry in the absence of consent, a lawful warrant, or other legal authority" (UDC § 17.6.2.E). In practice a bad unit gets looked at because someone reported it — so report it.

Once cited, violations must be corrected "within a reasonable period of time as determined by the Building Official or designee not to exceed ninety (90) days" (UDC § 17.6.2.E.3).

Two clauses in UDC § 17.6.5 work in a tenant's favour: an owner "shall not be relieved from responsibility to comply because the tenant(s) have vacated", and shall not re-let a unit under citation until the violations "have been corrected." Moving out does not let a landlord off, and the next tenant should not be moved into the same problem.

A citation appeal goes to the Board of Aldermen within 10 business days (UDC § 17.6.7). That is the owner's route, not yours — and it is counted in business days, which is why it is not in the calculator above.

Renter Deadlines & Rights

About these tools

Work out your deadline

How the process works

The landlord gives you written notice

The landlord files in Justice Court

The hearing

If the judge grants possession

Getting your deposit back

Repairs: the 30 days, and the four conditions on repair-and-deduct

Who to contact

Oktibbeha County Justice Court

City of Starkville — Community Development Department

Starkville Code Enforcement

Official pages

A warrant for removal

Appeal

If you're facing eviction

What Mississippi law does not give you

Fixed-term leases: no notice needed, but don't hold over

Which side of the line you're on

Starkville's own rules — and they are better than the state's

The "no more than N unrelated people" rule does not exist here

Three things older guides get wrong

Free help, honestly

North Mississippi Rural Legal Services

MSU Off-Campus Student Services