Housing · Repair and Deduct
Repair and Deduct in Missouri
How much of the rent a tenant can spend on a repair and subtract in Missouri, how often, the notice required, and the alternative if the state has no statutory remedy. Cited to the statute.
How repair and deduct works in Missouri
The cost cap or the alternative remedy, the notice steps, and the limits that apply.
| How it works | What it means |
|---|---|
| You must have lived there six months and paid all rent | The tenant must have lawfully resided on the premises for six consecutive months and paid all rent and charges due during that time. A renter who moved in five months ago has no remedy, however bad the condition. |
| The city must certify a code violation | The tenant must obtain a written certification from the city that the local municipal housing or building code has been violated. Your own judgment that the unit is defective is not enough. |
| Give 14 days’ written notice | The tenant must give the landlord 14 days’ written notice that a condition warrants repair before spending money on it. |
| Cap: the greater of $300 or half a month’s rent | The deduction may not exceed the greater of $300 or one-half of one month’s rent. Because it is a greater-of formula, it favors the tenant, so a higher rent lifts the ceiling. |
| Limits and alternatives | What it means |
|---|---|
| No more than one month’s rent per year | A tenant may not deduct more than one month’s rent in aggregate during any 12-month period, no matter how many separate repairs are needed. |
| An uncured lease violation blocks the remedy | The tenant must not have received written notice of a lease or house-rule violation that was not subsequently cured. An open, uncured violation defeats the claim. |
| Damage you or your household caused | The remedy is unavailable where the condition was caused by the deliberate or negligent act of the tenant, a family member, or another person on the premises with the tenant’s consent. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if the landlord will not repair in Missouri. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Check your residency and rent record first
Confirm you have lived there six consecutive months and have paid all rent and charges. If either is short, the statutory remedy is not open to you yet.
- Ask the city to certify the code violation
Contact your municipal housing or building code office and get a written certification that the code has been violated. Keep the certification with your file.
- Give 14 days’ written notice, then stay within the cap
Send the landlord written notice that the condition warrants repair, wait 14 days, and keep any deduction to the greater of $300 or half a month’s rent, and to one month’s rent for the whole year.
- Talk to a Missouri legal-aid office for anything larger
For bigger repairs or a disputed claim, Legal Services of Missouri or a licensed Missouri attorney can advise. The Missouri Bar can refer you to one.
Repair remedies have strict notice steps, and using the wrong one can put your tenancy at risk. This resource can connect you with a tenant hotline or a licensed attorney.
→ Legal Services of MissouriThis is general legal information, not legal advice. Notice steps, caps, and local ordinances can change the answer, so confirm your situation with a tenant resource or a licensed attorney.
What Missouri tenants get wrong about repair and deduct
Missouri has the most heavily gated repair-and-deduct remedy found in any state. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.234, a tenant can pay for a repair and deduct the greater of $300 or one-half of one month’s rent, but only after clearing five preconditions, any one of which can defeat the claim. The tenant must have lawfully resided on the premises for six consecutive months, must have paid all rent and charges due during that time, must not be sitting on an uncured lease or house-rule violation, must obtain a written certification from the city that the local code has been violated, and the condition must not have been caused by the tenant or the tenant’s household. On top of all that comes 14 days’ written notice and an annual ceiling of one month’s rent. The contrast with the rest of Missouri landlord-tenant law is stark. Missouri sets no eviction notice period, no entry statute, and no late-fee cap, legislating almost nothing, and then writes this one section in exhaustive detail. The practical lesson for a renter is to check the residency and rent record before anything else, because a tenant who moved in five months ago has no remedy at all, however serious the defect.
Common questions
How much can a tenant repair and deduct in Missouri?
The greater of $300 or one-half of one month’s rent per repair, and no more than one month’s rent in aggregate during any 12-month period.
Do I really have to live there six months first?
Yes. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 441.234 requires six consecutive months of lawful residency with all rent paid. A renter who has been there less than six months cannot use the statutory remedy.
How do I get the city to certify a code violation?
Contact your municipal housing or building code enforcement office and ask for a written certification that the local code has been violated. The statute requires that certification before you deduct.
What if I was late on rent once?
The remedy requires that all rent and charges due were paid during your six months of residency, and that you have no uncured lease violation. An open rent or lease problem can defeat the claim, so clear it first or seek advice.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.