By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Colombo, Feb. 4 (Daily Mirror) – The proposed ‘Protection of Occupants Bill’ is under fire as it has got three foreign companies to leave Sri Lanka while eight other local companies are expected to file fundamental rights cases against it, an Opposition MP told Parliament yesterday.

MP Ravi Karunanayake who came up with this information in Parliament urged the Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara to look into the matter.

Sri Lanka cannot afford to lose foreign investors,” he added.

MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said the new Bill does not seem to care for the house owners but only focus on tenants. People will be reluctant to rent houses in the future,” he said.

MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake who came up with a more serious allegation said those who have been affected by Cyclone Ditwah in the Badulla District have not been able to rent a house because of this new law. They have not been able to rent houses despite receiving Rs 25,000 granted by the government to rent houses,” the MP said.

Minister Nanayakkara who responded said only landlords who act highhandedly will be affected by the new legislation. “Landlords should not act with fear but should rent their houses,” he said. He said the general public could file objections against the Bill and it could be subjected to amendments later.

The new legislation provides legal provisions for a tenant who has rented a house to charge a house owner for contempt of court.

The Protection of Occupants Bill provides provisions for a house owner to be dealt with contempt of court where a fiscal is resisted or obstructed by a respondent or any other person from carrying out an order given by the courts. Accordingly, the court could require a house owner to show cause within 14 days from the date of such notice as to why he should not be dealt with contempt of court.

A house owner who is found guilty of contempt of court will be fined Rs 500,000 or subjected to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or both such as a fine and imprisonment.

The Bill also prohibits a house owner from discontinuing any essential supply such as water or electricity. Further, a landlord cannot refuse, withhold or refuse to allow a tenant to repair any essential supply or utility service provided to the occupant. A house owner is prevented from evicting a tenant in contravention of terms and conditions of any lease agreement. In addition the new laws prevent a house owner from using threats to evict a tenant from a rented house.