WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1981
LANDLORD AND TENANT BILL
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THE LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATION) (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL 1981 WAS INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE SECRETA. Y FOR HOUSING, THE HON DONALD LIAO, IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL, SAID IT WOULD PROVIDE A SYSTEM FOR GIVING REASONABLE SECURITY OF TENURE TO TENANTS OF PREMISES EXCLUDED FROM THE RENT CONTROL LEGISLATION.
IT WOULD ALSO EXTEND TO SUB-TENANTS OF POST-WAR PREMISES THE SAME DEGREE OF RENT CONTROL AS WAS ENJOYED BY PRINCIPAL TENANTS, HE SAID.
MR LIAO SAID THE JURISDICTION OF THE LANDS TRIBUNAL WOULD BE EXPANDED TO PROVIDE A REASONABLE DEGREE OF SECURITY OF TENURE FOR A SITTING TENANT WHOSE LEASE WAS ABOUT TO EXPIRE, AND WHO WAS NOT OTHERWISE PROTECTED, BUT WHO WAS PREPARED TO PAY A FAIR MARKET RENT.
+ IN ESSENCE, THE LANDS TRIBUNAL WOULD DECIDE WHETHER A FURTHER TENANCY SHOULD BE GRANTED, AND THE TERMS OF THE NEW TENANCY, WHERE THESE CANNOT BE AGREED BETWEEN LANDLORD AND TENANT, HE SAID.
THE NEW PROVISIONS APPLY TO ANY DOMESTIC TENANCY EXCLUDED FROM EITHER PARTS I OR OF THE ORDINANCE AND ILL MAINLY AFFECT TENANTS OF PREMISES COMPLETED ON OR AFTER JUNE 19, 1981, AND OF PREVISES HAVING A VERY HIGH RATEABLE VALUE.
MR LIAO STRESSED THAT THE PROPOSED SYSTEM WAS NOT ANOTHER FORM OF RENT CONTROL.
+ IT SIMPLY SEEKS TO SAFEGUARD A SITTING TENANT OF PREMISES EXCLUDED FROM RENT CONTROL AGAINST AN UNREASONABLE LANDLORD AHO MAY SEEK TO TAKE UNDUE ADVANTAGE OF HIS POSITION BY DEMAND ING MORE THAN A FAIR MARKET RENT.+
HE SAID IT WAS INTENDED THAT THESE NEW PROVISIONS WOULD COME INTO OPERATION ON DECEMBER 19, 1981.
ON POSSESSION OF PREMISES FOR REBUILDING, MR LIAO SAID THE BILL WOULD INTRODUCE RESTRICTIONS TO STOP ANY TENDENCY FOR LANDLORDS TO SEEK TO DEMOLISH BUILDINGS SIMPLY TO RID THEMSELVES OF UNWELCOME PROTECTED TENANTS.
IF AN ORDER WAS GRANTED, HE SAID, COMPENSATION WOULD SE PAYABLE TO TENANTS AND SUE-TENANTS, AND OTHER CONDITIONS *IGHT ALSO BE IMPOSED.
/OTHER MATTERS