FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 1981
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BILL ON RENT CONTROLS PUBLISHED
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THE LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATION) { AMENDMENT) BILL 1981, CONTAINING PROPOSALS IN RESPECT OF RENT CONTROLS FOR POST-WAR DOMESTIC PREMISES, WAS PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY.
THE BILL WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL NEXT WEDNESDAY (JUNE 24).
+THE BILL, IF APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WILL PUT INTO EFFECT THE PROPOSALS WHICH THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED ON MAY 8 AFTER CONSIDERING THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF REVIEW, LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATION) ORDINANCE, SAID A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN.
+ IN ADDITION, THE BILL WILL INTRODUCE A NUMBER OF OTHER AMENDMENTS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE OF REVIEW.
THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE MAIN PROPOSAL WAS FOR PART II OF THE ORDINANCE TO BE EXTENDED BY TWO FURTHER YEARS BEYOND THE PRESENT EXPIRY DATE OF DECEMBER 18, 1981.
+ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS IN PRINCIPLE THE
RECOMMENDATION BY THE COMMITTEE OF REVIEW THAT RENT CONTROL SHOULD EVENTUALLY BE PHASED OUT, IT DOES NOT CONSIDER THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR A SIGNIFICANT MOVE TOWARDS THIS, THE SPOKESMAN REITERATED.
+HENCE, IT HAS BEEN DECIDED THAT THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF PROTECTION FOR POST-WAR DOMESTIC PREMISES SHOULD BE RETAINED AND THIS IS NOW PROVIDED IN THE BILL BY EXTENDING PART I CONTROLS UNTIL DECEMBER 18, 1983. THIS WILL GIVE CONTINUED SECURITY OF TENURE TO ALL THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO BE COVERED BY THIS PART OF THE ORDINANCE, HE SAID.
SUBJECT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSALS, THE FOLLOWING TENANCIES WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM CONTROLS UNDER PART 1 OF THE ORDINANCE
* THOSE OF PREMISES IN RESPECT OF WHICH AN
OCCUPATION PERMIT IS FIRST ISSUED ON OR AFTER JUNE 19, 1981-
* AFTER DECEMBER 18, 1981, THOSE OF PREMISES
WITH A CURRENT RATEABLE VALUE OF $80 000 OR MORE- AND
AFTER DECEMBER 18, 1982, THOSE OF PREMISES WITH A CURRENT RATEABLE VALUE OF $60 000
OR MORE.
THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THESE EXCLUSIONS WERE INTENDED TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPERS TO BUILD MORE FLATS FOR THE RENTAL MARKET AND TO INDUCE LANDLORDS TO RENT OUT THE IR FLATS INSTEAD OF HOLDING THEM VACANT. THE RESULTANT INCREASE IN THE SUPPLY OF RENTAL FLATS IT WAS HOPED, WOULD HAVE A STABILISING EFFECT ON THE MOVEMENT OF RENTS.
/IT WAS