Question: I'm being evicted from an illegal sublease situation. How do I recover my initial payment from the sublessor who was not authorized to sublease the apartment?

Answer: First, make sure that the landlord has taken proper measures to evict you. As a sub-tenant, you technically cannot be "evicted" in the legal definition. The landlord would have to file an unlawful detainer action against you to remove you from the premises. Of course, you may choose to move and avoid legal action all together. Second, you will want to organize and document your relationship with the sublessor—written agreement, if any, transactions of the rental payments, etc. The sublessor is in breach because they took money from you for space that they had no legal right to rent. You should request for the payments to be reimbursed, and if they refuse, consider retaining an attorney to pursue legal actions in small claims court. You may also include damages such as moving costs that were incurred due to the sudden need to move again.