How to handle security deposit with two tenants on the lease

[Aaron K.]

I'm about to collect the security deposit and sign the lease with my very first tenants, a young unmarried couple. The girl makes enough money to rent the property on her own, so I'm tempted to leave the guy off the lease in case they split up. But what if they both want to be on the lease, and I decide to allow that? How is the security deposit handled in this situation, particularly when returning the deposit? 

[Patrick Liska]

I would have them both sign the lease, in case one does leave and the other wants to stay, or if they both takeoff, then they are both responsible to make any payments due. they are co. signers of the lease at that point, let them figure out who pays the deposit and who gets it back, if they sign the lease for a year and they split but one stays, you then are only legally obligated to return the deposit at the end of the lease term to whoever is there.