I signed a lease agreement without carefully reading it. Now, my landlord has a clause demanding three months’ rent as penalty if I move out before six months. He’s also banned subletting. Is there any way I can avoid this penalty?

Indian law allows for penalty clauses in lease agreements, but they must be reasonable. The three-month penalty may be considered unreasonable, especially without justification. You could try negotiating with your landlord or consult a lawyer to challenge the clause’s validity. Subletting is generally permissible unless expressly prohibited in the agreement.