XN000022-1980-09-05 — Page 5

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1980

RENT OFFICER SCHEME TO BE EXTENDED

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A RENT OFFICER SCHEME, INTRODUCED IN TSUEN WAN IN THE NEW TERRITORIES NINE MONTHS AGO IS TO BE EXTENDED FROM OCTOBER,

A NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THIS WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE INCREASINGLY LARGE NUMBER OF LANDLORD AND TENANT ENQUIRIES, ESPECIALLY SINCE ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION EXTENDING RENT CONTROL TO ALL SITTING TENANCIES OF POST-WAR DOMESTIC PREMISES.

THE SCHEME IS BEING OPERATED BY THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT AND TSUEN WAN DISTRICT OFFICE. BY THE END OF AUGUST, A TOTAL OF 197 CASES HAD BEEN DEALT WITH.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR INTERVIEWS WAS MORE THAN DOUBLE THE NUMBER WHICH THE SCHEME WAS ABLE TO HANDLE.

+STARTING FROM OCTOBER, THEREFORE, A RENT OFFICER WILL SPEND A WHOLE DAY AT TSUEN WAN TOWN MANAGEMENT OFFICE IN HOI PA STREET AND ANOTHER WHOLE DAY AT KWAI CHUNG TOWN MANAGEMENT OFFICE IN KWONG FAI CIRCUIT, HE SAID.

PREVIOUSLY, THE RENT OFFICER SPENT ONLY HALF DAYS AT THE TWO CENTRES ON THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH.

+THIS MEANS THAT THE SCHEME WILL IN FUTURE BE ABLE TO HANDLE TWICE AS MANY ENQUIRIES AS IT IS NOW DEALING WITH, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE NEW SCHEME WILL START ON OCTOBER 2 AT TSUEN WAN. A DETAILED TIMETABLE WILL BE PUBLICISED THROUGH LOCAL ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS RURAL COMMITTEES AND MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, TWO WEEKS LATER THE NEW ARRANGEMENT WILL COMMENCE IN KWAI CHUNG.

ENQUIRIES BEING DEALT WITH INCLUDE RENT, TENANCY AGREEMENTS

AND DISPUTES, RATES AND RECOVERY OF PREMISES.

RENT OFFICER SERVICES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT'S OFFICE IN NEW MERCURY HOUSE AND AT THE FOUR CITY DISTRICT OFFICES OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN (TUESDAYS), SHAM SHUI PO (WEDNESDAYS), EASTERN (THURSDAYS) AND WONG TAI SIN (FRIDAYS).

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