My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Illinois
Here is the story, Last year, I had to move from city to suburb before snowy winter comes, and I found sublease wanted ad through sublease.com
Sublessor had leased this unit where I currently live, until end of April, 2013, and I decided to move in last Nov.
Acutal rent sublessor paying was $1558.00 per month, but sublessor listed lowered price at $1450.00 per month, and this was what sublessor listed, not I asked.
Sublessor confirmed that she will cover the differences, then asked me to pay her, not to the leasing office, one more rent as security deposit, since sublessor paid one more rent as security deposit already.
At that time, I thought that I would get security deposit back from the building, whatever amounts remains, when lease expires, after leasing office staff check the unit.
However, I have decided to renew/extend the lease of this unit under my name after my current sublease is over, which is May 1st, 2103, so there is no "Move-in or Move-out" at all, and sublessor was supposed to get full deposit back, and I assumed security deposit will come to me, since I paid to sublessor already.
Couple days ago, I went to the leasing office to check my renewal/new rent rate and ask about the deposit that sublessor paid before.
I have been told that the check will go to sublessor and they have no way to hand over the check to me directly, since it was sublease take over and contract for this unit is still under sublessor's name, but also been told there is way, only if sublessor send a letter to the building and states security deposit is belong to me, then leasing office will get me a check, instead of sublessor.
So I have been trying to get a touch with sublessor, but she is not very cooperative.
These are what sublessor told me so far,
1. Sublessor is not going to pay my security deposit ($1450.00) back until sublessor gets full deposit* back from the office - but since I am going to renew/extend my current sublease under my name from May 1st, which is basically starting the lease again, I will have to pay first month rent and another one more rent as security deposit to building, which will make a big hole in my bank.
* Sublessor was and is always late to pay the difference, and sublessor hasn't paid for 3 months already, so even there is no move-in, move-out process, sublessor will never get full 100% security deposit back, unless sublessor pays 3 moths differences and late fees, leasing office will deduct them from sublessor's security deposit if sublessor doesn't pay.
2. Since the security deposit sublessor paid is more than my current lease ($1558.00 vs $1450.00), sublessor will not ask them to hand over the check to me unless I pay another $108.00 (difference from sublessor's security deposit and my security deposit that I paid to sublessor, $1550.00 - $1450.00 = $108.00), but I told sublessor that I will pay $108.00 once I get sublessor's security deposit.
Sublessor asked me how sublessor is supposed to trust me that I will pay $108.00 back to sublessor after I get sublessor's security deposit check from the building, while sublessor has my $1450.00, so I asked sublessor, how am I supposed to trust sublessor will send me a check of $1450.00 once sublessor gets security deposit back from the building, but no answers after all.
I have never informed from sublessor regarding this security deposit, either sublessor will pay me back after sublessor get security deposit back from the building once lease expires or it is still belong to sublessor, so it makes me hard to trust sublessor will send or pay my deposit back, also sublessor lied few times regarding this unit after I moved in - what if I didn't know security deposit is going back to sublessor? Sublessor will get 2 security deposit checks, from me and another one from the building.
All I want is get my money back ($1450.00), nothing more or less, but as I stated above, sublessor is making this situation very hard, and leasing office really can't do anything about it.
Since current contract of this place is under sublessor's name, and sublessor owes me $1450.00, but not going to pay me back anytime soon, I have decide not to pay next rent, and I informed this to leasing office and sublessor, and also told sublessor that if fails to pay, collection service will go after sublessor, not me.
Sublessor replied me "Go ahead, don't pay" but also said will bring me to court if needed, but what I don't get is sublessor owes me money, not I owe some money to sublessor, and mention that will bring me to court? What's the point sublessor can sue me?
I am not worried to go to court, because I have done nothing wrong, but just wondering if I will be on the weakest side by not paying next month rent to make sublessor pay whatever owes to building?
This is very stressful situation, and I need advices from experts, so please advise me what is and will be my best option.
Thank you.

