Warnakulasinghe v. Subramaniam – sllr 1986 volume 1 page 415

In Warakulasinghe (Plaintiff) v. Subramaniam (Defendant), the court addressed the issue of whether granting exclusive use of defined portions of a residential premises for payment, to hold wedding receptions, constituted subletting under section 10(1) of the Rent Act No. 7 of 1972. It was held that such letting amounted to subletting, as the statutory criteria emphasized exclusive occupation and relinquishment of control over those parts of the premises, rendering the parties’ intention immaterial. The court reaffirmed the principle that unauthorized subletting under the Act, even for short-term events, violates statutory tenancy restrictions. Reliance was placed on established judicial interpretations of tenancy and licence distinctions and the wording of the Rent Act, underlining that co