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WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1986
DISRUPTIVE CHANGES SHOULD BE AVOIDED
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THE HON HO SAI-CHU EMPHASISED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT HE IS GENERALLY IN FAVOUR OF THE GOVERNMENT'S LONG TERM OBJECTIVE OF PHASING OUT RENT CONTROL. BUT HE SAID IT SHOULD BE IN A MANNER WHICH WAS NOT SOCIALLY OR POLITICALLY DISRUPTIVE IN HONG KONG'S PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
MR HO COMMENTED ON TWO ASPECTS OF THE LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATION) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986 WHEN DEBATE ON THE
MEASURE RESUMED.
THE FIRST CONCERNED THE SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES TO OBTAIN POSSESSION AND THEIR POSSIBLE EFFECTS ON THE SECURITY OF TENURE OF THE AFFECTED TENANTS.
MR HO SAID HE HAD BEEN GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CONDITIONS LISTED IN SECTION 129 OF PART VI OF THE ORDINANCE ONLY APPLIED TO CASES WHERE A TENANCY HAD BEEN +DETERMINED+ AND THAT WHERE A LEASE HAD EXPIRED AND WHERE THE TENANT WAS STILL PROTECTED UNDER OTHER PROVISIONS IN THE ORDINANCE, THE CONCERNED TENANT WOULD STILL BE CONSIDERED AS THE STATUTORY TENANT OF THE PREMISES SO THAT THE SUMMARY RECOVERY PROVISIONS WOULD NOT APPLY.
HE NOTED THAT THESE CONDITIONS WOULD ONLY BE APPLICABLE IN CASES WHERE ALL CONTRACTUAL RELATIONS BETWEEN A LANDLORD AND HIS TENANT HAD CEASED.
+1N VIEW OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF PREMISES WHICH ARE STILL UNDER RENT CONTROL, I AM RATHER CONCERNED AS TO THE ADEQUACY OF THE PROVISIONS TO PROTECT THE SECURITY OF TENURE OF TENANTS WHICH MAY BE AFFECTED AND WOULD LIKE THE GOVERNMENT TO CONFIRM THE POSITION WHICH I HAVE JUST MENTIONED, HE SAID.
MR HO THEN TURNED TO THE PROPOSAL TO LIFT THE VALUE LIMIT OF PREMISES COVERED BY THE SUMMARY RECOVERY PROVISIONS FROM AN ANNUAL RENTAL OF $900 TO THOSE WITH A CURRENT RATEABLE VALUE OF NOT EXCEEDING $30 000.
HE NOTED THAT BY SETTING THE RATEABLE VALUE LIMIT AT $30 000, ABOUT 200 000 UNITS WOULD COME WITHIN THIS LIMIT AND IT WOULD COVER ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF DOMESTIC TENANCIES IN HONG KONG.
+I CANNOT HELP BUT WONDER WHETHER THE NET HAD NOT BEEN CAST TOO WIDE, HE SAID.
HE SUGGESTED THAT IT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO RELATE THE VALUE LIMIT OF $900 IN THE EXISTING PROVISIONS TO THE PRESENT RATEABLE VALUE WHICH WAS ABOUT $12 200.
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