Remember that your landlord can still hold YOU, the person who signed the primary lease, responsible for any damage that your subtenant commits. You would then have to sue your subtenant for the money. Note: If you are a subtenant and pay a security deposit to the primary tenant, you may want to get a statement authorizing you to collect the tenant’s deposit from the landlord when you move out. You probably will also want to document the apartment’s condition when you move in.