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Friday, October 19, 1973
NEW RENT CONTROL SCHEME.
All Existing Post-War Flats Protected
All existing post-war domestic premises, regardless of their
rateable value, are to be provided security of tenure up to the end of
November 1976.
At the same time, to encourage private developers to contribute
as much as possible to the overall housing programme, tenancies in new
buildings cortified for occupation after the enactment of new control
legislation will not be subject to control.
Certain other types of tenancies, such as those held from the
Hong Kong Housing Authority, the Hong Kong Housing Society and the Hong
Kong Model Housing Society, are also excluded.
Details of the new control legislation are set out in the
Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, published in today's
gazette.
Under its provisions, landlords and tenants are free to negotiate
any increase in rents by agreement at any time.
Otherwise the landlord is only permitted to increase the rent
by a fair amount not excreding 21 per cent one year after the last
increase or after the commencement of the tenancy if the premises are
let before the enactment of the legislation; or two years from the date
of tenancy if the premises are let after the enactment,
Such an increase will control the rent at the new figure for a
period of two years, even if the period should extend beyond November 1976,
after the legislation expires.
The amount