FRIDAY, MAY 4, 1984
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PLAN TO UPDATE LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATION) ORDINANCE
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROPOSED A NUMBER OF MEASURES TO REFINE AND UPDATE THE LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATION) ORDINANCE UNDER WHICH THE MAJORITY OF DOMESTIC TENANTS ENJOY THE PROTECTION OF SECURITY OF TENURE AND CONTROL AGAINST LARGE RENT INCREASES.
IN ANNOUNCING THESE MEASURES TODAY THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR DONALD LIAO, EXPLAINED THAT THEY WERE DRAWN UP FOLLOWING A REVIEW OF THE WORKING OF THE ORDINANCE AND OF THE RENTAL MARKET SITUATION IN 1983 AND HAVING REGARD TO THE INTERESTS OF BOTH LANDLORDS AND TENANTS. THEY WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S PREVIOUSLY STATED INTENTION THAT AS SOON AS CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT, EVERY EFFORT CONSISTENT WITH THE NEED TO AVOID ADVERSE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES SHOULD BE MADE TO ACCELERATE THE PHASING OUT OF RENT CONTROL.
IT WAS STRESSED HOWEVER THAT THE MAJORITY OF PROTECTED TENANTS WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THESE CHANGES AND THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE PROTECTION OF SECURITY OF TENURE AND THE CONTROL ON RENT INCREASES.
THE PROPOSED MEASURES, CONTAINED IN THE LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATION) (AMENDMENT BILL 1984, ALSO INCLUDE IMPROVEMENTS TO SIMPLIFY AND CLARIFY SOME OF THE EXISTING ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS OF THE ORDINANCE.
THE BILL WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON MAY 16 WHILE THE RESUMED SECOND READING AND THE THIRD READING WILL NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL JUNE 13.
PUBLIC VIEWS WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND REPRESENTATIONS MAY BE MADE TO UMELCO, AT SWIRE HOUSE, 12TH FLOOR, CHATER ROAD, JR TO THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, AT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG.
MR LIAO RECALLED THAT EXCLUSION OF LUXURY PREMISES FROM RENT CONTROL WAS INTRODUCED IN PHASES BEGINNING IN DECEMBER, 1981 EXCLUDING PREMISES WHICH HAD A RATEABLE VALUE OF OR ABOVE $80 000. THIS POINT WAS LOWERED TO $60 000 IN 1982 AND TO $50 000 LAST YEAR.
TO CONTINUE THIS PROCESS, IT IS NOW PROPOSED THAT FROM DECEMBER 19 THIS YEAR, PREMISES WITH A RATEABLE VALUE OF $35 000 OR ABOVE AS AT JUNE 10, 1983 (1.E. THE OLD RATEABLE VALUE BEFORE THE RECENT REVALUATION) SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM PART OF THE ORDINANCE, WHICH PROVIDES SECURITY OF TENURE AND RENT CONTROL, TO PART IV, WHICH PROVIDES SECURITY OF TENURE AT THE PREVAILING MARKET RENT. IT IS INTENDED TO CONTINUE TO USE THE OLD RATEABLE VALUES FOR THIS PURPOSE BECAUSE THE NEW RATEABLE VALUES WHICH TOOK EFFECT FROM APRIL 1, 1984 HAVE YET TO BE ESTABLISHED.
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