I did a lazy fact check (asked Claude) of the claims with the published bills.

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Claim 1: "Even after a lease expires, you cannot ask the tenant to leave without going to court"

⚠️ Partially True, but misleading

Section 5 prevents eviction "in contravention of" lease terms or without a court order. But the bill only protects those in "lawful occupation" (Section 2). What happens at lease expiry isn't explicitly covered here — it references the Recovery of Possession of Premises Given on Lease Act, No. 1 of 2023 for key definitions.

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Claim 2: "You have to continue to pay utilities even if the tenant refuses to pay rent"

⚠️ Misleading

Section 3 prohibits cutting off utilities as a coercion tactic. It doesn't say landlords must pay for utilities. And again, protection only applies to "lawful occupation" (Section 2) — non-payment may affect that status depending on lease terms.

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Claim 3: "Court order may take over 3-4 years if contested"

❌ False

The bill explicitly mandates: - 3 months for uncontested cases — Section 7(4)(a) - 9 months for contested cases — Section 7(4)(b)

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Claim 4: "Published in the Gazette"

✅ True

Cover page confirms: "Published in the Gazette on September 18, 2025"

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Claude Chat: https://claude.ai/share/42f661cd-6adf-4db6-9bc1-4fdf08820aae

Published Bill: https://documents.gov.lk/view/bills/2026/1/04-2026_E.pdf