SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1979
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RENT OFFICER SCHEME TO EXPAND
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THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT IS PLANNING TO EXPAND THE RENT OFFICER SCHEME TO COPE WITH INCREASING PUBLIC DEMAND FOR THE SERVICE.
DISCLOSING THIS TODAY (SUNDAY), THE ACTING ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF RATING AND VALUATION, MR. WONG KWONG-SANG SA ID1 +PENDING THE APPROVAL OF FUNDS BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE DEPARTMENT INTENDS TO POST RENT OFFICERS TO MORE CITY DISTRICT OFFICES TO BRING THE SERVICE CLOSER TO THE PUBLIC. CONSIDERATION WILL ALSO BE GIVEN TO EXPANDING THE SERVICE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.+
AT PRESENT, RENT OFFICERS ARE PROVIDING SERVICE AT THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT'S OFFICE IN NEW MERCURY HOUSE AND FOUR CITY DISTRICT OFFICES CENTRAL AND WESTERN (TUESDAYS), SHAM SHUI PO (WEDNESDAYS), EASTERN (THURSDAYS) AND WONG TAI SIN (FRIDAYS).
THE SCHEME, INTRODUCED IN APRIL LAST YEAR, AIMS TO HELP THE PUBLIC HANDLE MÅTTERS RELATING TO LANDLORD AND TENANT LEGISLATION.
MR. WONG SAID: THE PROVISIONS OF SUCH LEGISLATION ARE RATHER COMPLEX AND MANY PEOPLE FIND IT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. RENT OFFICERS ARE THERE TO EXPLAIN THE LAW AND TO HELP BOTH THE LANDLORD AND TENANT UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS.
ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO GIVE LEGAL ADVICE, THEY ARE ALSO READY TO HELP THE PUBLIC SOLVE ANY OTHER LANDLORD-TENANT OR TENANT-SUB-TENANT PROBLEMS.
+VERY OFTEN, THEY ACT AS MEDIATORS IN DISPUTES OVER, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RIGHT TO USAGE OF COMMON SPACE,+ MR. WONG SAID.
WITH THE ADVICE OF RENT OFFICERS, MANY OF THE PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED WITHOUT HAVING TO RESORT TO FORMAL PROCEDURES WHICH TEND TO INTENSIFY THE ANTAGONISM BETWEEN THE PARTIES INVOLVED, HE ADDED.
THE RENT OFFICER SCHEME IS GETTING MORE POPULAR WITH THE PUBLIC AS IT IS REFLECTED BY THE INCREASING WORKLOAD OF RENT OFFICERS AND LARGER SCOPE OF CASES AND ENQUIRIES DEALT WITH.
IN THE FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION, RENT OFFICERS. HANDLED MORE THAN 50 000 CASES CONCERNING APPLICATIONS FOR RENTAL INCREASES OR CERTIFICATES OF STANDARD RENT- PRE-WAR BUILDINGS DECLARED DANGEROUS OR AFFECTED BY EXCLUSION ORDER= OCCUPIERS' RIGHT TO COMPENSATION AND USAGE OF PREMISES FOR DOMESTIC OR NON-DOMESTIC PURPOSES.
IN ADDITION THEY ANSWERED ABOUT 14 000 ENQUIRIES ON VARIOUS LANDLORD-TENANT MATTERS. OF THESE ABOUT HALF WERE DEALT WITH AT THE FOUR CITY DISTRICT OFFICES.
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