29.
| (1) Notwithstanding anything in any other law, no lease, agreement express or implied, or other contract entered into prior to the date of commencement of this Act in respect of the tenancy or rent of any residential premises the annual value of which exceeds the relevant amount, shall, with effect from the date of commencement of this Act, be valid or have any effect in law. |
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| (2) Notwithstanding anything in any other provisions of this Act, it shall be lawful, with effect from the date of commencement of this Act, for the landlord of any residential premises and the person seeking to be the tenant thereof to enter into a written agreement whereby such premises are let to such person for a period specified therein, such period being not less than five years, or until the happening of an event specified therein, where at the end of such period or on the happening of such event, such premises will be required for occupation as a residence for the landlord or any member of his family; and no such contract or agreement shall, notwithstanding anything in any other written law, be valid or have effect in law unless it is registered with the board on application made either by such landlord or by such person within thirty days after it is entered into. |
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| (3) Where an agreement under sub-section (2) is entered into, the tenant shall vacate the premises at the end of the period specified in such agreement, or, as the case may be, on the happening of the event specified therein. |
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| (4) Where a tenant who has entered into an agreement under sub-section (2), vacates the premises prior to the end of the period, or the happening of the event specified therein, the landlord or any member of his family may enter into occupation of such premises or the landlord may let such premises to any other tenant. |
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| (5) Where the landlord or any member of his family, having entered into occupation of the premises under sub-section (4), vacates the premises without reasonable cause within three years of the entry into such occupation, the landlord or the member of the family, as the case may be, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act. |
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| (6) No landlord shall let any premises to a tenant under sub-section (4) for any period exceeding the un-expired part of the period specified in the agreement entered into under sub-section (2), or, as the case may be, for any period beyond the happening of the event specified in such agreement. |
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| (7) Where, on the tenant vacating the premises in accordance with the agreement entered into under sub-section (2) or on the tenant being ejected therefrom under sub-section (13), such premises are not required, for any cause, for occupation as a residence for the landlord or any member of his family, the landlord shall so notify to the board, and the board may, as hereinafter provided and notwithstanding anything in any other law, authorize such person as in its opinion is suitable to be made the tenant thereof to occupy such premises. |
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| (8) Where, at any time after an agreement has been entered into under sub-section (2) and before the end of the period, or the happening of the event, specified therein, or at any time after the end of the period, or the happening of the event, specified therein and before the tenant vacates the premises, the landlord considers that such premises will not be required for occupation as a residence for the landlord or any member of his family as contemplated when the agreement was entered into, the landlord shall so notify to the board, and the board may, if the tenant makes a request therefor, authorize the tenant to continue to occupy such premises or, where the tenant does not make a request therefor, authorize as hereinafter provided and notwithstanding anything in any other law, such other person as in its opinion is suitable to be made the tenant thereof, to occupy such premises. |
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| (9) Where at any time after the tenant vacates the premises, whether at the time specified in the agreement or thereafter, and before the landlord or any member of his family enters into occupation of such premises, the landlord considers that such premises will not be required immediately after such vacation for occupation as a residence for the landlord or any member of his family, the landlord shall so notify to the board, and the board may, as hereinafter provided and notwithstanding anything in any other law, authorize such person as in its opinion is suitable to be made the tenant thereof, to occupy such premises. |
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| (10) Where the landlord or any member of his family, having entered into occupation of the premises under the preceding provisions of this section, intends to vacate the premises before the expiration of a period of three years after such entry, the landlord or the member of his family, as the case may be, shall so notify to the board, and the board may as hereinafter provided and notwithstanding anything in any other law, authorize such person as in its opinion is suitable to be made the tenant thereof, to occupy such premises. |
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| (11) Where any person authorized by the board under the preceding provisions of this section to occupy or continue to occupy any premises occupies or continues to occupy such premises, he shall be deemed to occupy or to continue to occupy such premises, as the case may be, under an agreement entered into under sub-section (2), for such period, or until the happening of such event as may be specified by the landlord at the time of such authorization, except in a case where the landlord of such premises is prepared to let such premises to such person under the provisions of this Act otherwise than under an agreement under sub-section (2). |
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| (12) The exercise of the power of the board to authorize persons to occupy premises under the preceding provisions of this section shall be subject to the right of the landlord of the premises to object to the first three persons proposed by the board to be so authorized. |
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| (13) Where any action for breach of an agreement under sub-section (2) is instituted before a court, the court shall as expeditiously as possible hear and determine such action and shall, if such breach is proved, and if satisfied that the premises are required for occupation as a residence for the landlord or any member of his family, enter a decree for the ejectment of the tenant without granting the tenant any further period of time for vacating the premises. |
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| (14) Where the landlord or any member of his family does not enter into occupation of the premises without reasonable cause before the expiration of a period of three months after the date of vacation thereof by the tenant, or of his ejectment therefrom, under the preceding provisions of this section, or, having thus entered into occupation of the premises. vacates the premises without reasonable cause within three years of the entry into such occupation, the landlord or the member of his family, as the case may be, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act. |
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Sri Lanka Consolidated Acts