Fire or flood

If a fire or another disaster seriously harms your home so it is not fit to live in, you can move out right away. You must tell your landlord in writing within 5 days after you move out that you are ending your lease. If it is still legal to stay, you can instead move out of just the part you cannot use and pay less rent. Your new rent is based on how much less the home is worth to live in. If a court later disagrees, you can owe the rent and face eviction. Get legal help first.

Missouri law protects you if your rented home is destroyed by an act of God. This includes a fire, tornado, or other natural or human-caused disaster. As long as you did not cause the disaster, you do not owe your landlord any more rent for the rest of your lease.