XN000022-1984-05-31 — Page 5

THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1984

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VALUERS TO LOOK INTO RATE OBJECTIONS

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LESS THAN TWO OUT OF EVERY 10 RATEPAYERS IN HONG KONG HAVE OBJECTED TO THE NEW RATE ASSESSMENTS, THE COMMISSIONER OF RATING AND VALUATION, MR R.A. FRY, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

OF THE NEARLY 100 000 OBJECTIONS, 40 PER CENT WERE FOR PREMISES ON HONG KONG ISLAND, 30 PER CENT IN KOWLOON, 16 PER CENT IN NEW KOWLOON AND 14 PER CENT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR FRY SAID.

OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, PROFESSIONAL VALUERS WOULD BE LOOKING AT THESE OBJECTIONS AND, IN MANY CASES, WOULD BE INSPECTING THE PREMISES TO CHECK PARTICULARS AND MAKE FURTHER ENQUIRIES, MR FRY SAID, IN AN ADDRESS TO THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON.

EIGHTY PER CENT OF THE TOTAL OBJECTIONS CONCERNED DOMESTIC PREMISES AND THE REST NON-DOMESTIC PREMISES.

IT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME TO DEAL WITH THE LARGE NUMBER OF OBJECTIONS, AND NOT MANY NOTICES OF DECISION WERE LIKELY TO BE SENT OUT BEFORE JULY THIS YEAR, HE SAID.

+ IF IT IS THOUGHT THAT THE RATEABLE VALUE IS TOO HIGH, THE VALUER WILL PREPARE A FRESH VALUATION FOR APPROVAL BY HIS DISTRICT VALUER, HE SAID.

FOLLOWING THE NOTICE OF DECISION, A RATEPAYER STILL HAS THE RIGHT OF APPEAL TO THE LANDS TRIBUNAL, HE POINTED OUT.

BUT MR FRY ADDED THAT FROM PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS, THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT WAS +REASONABLY SATISFIED THAT MOST OF THE NEW RATEABLE VALUES HAVE BEEN FAIRLY ASSESSED AND DO NOT WARRANT ALTERNATION.+

MR FRY REPORTED THERE WERE ABOUT 100 CASES WHERE RATEPAYERS HAD ASKED THEIR ASSESSMENTS TO BE INCREASED.

NEARLY ALL OF THESE WERE DUE TO THE INCORRECT COMPLETION OF FORMS BUT AT LEAST ONE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED BY THE LANDLORD ON THE MISTAKEN ASSUMPTION THAT IT WOULD AFFECT THE POSITION. OF HIS PREMISES WITH REGARD TO RENT CONTROL.

+HOWEVER, AS HAS BEEN EXPLAINED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS RECENTLY, THE RATEABLE VALUES EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE ARE THOSE IN THE OLD VALUATION LIST AS AT JUNE 10, 1983, SO THAT A CHANGE IN THE CURRENT RATEABLE VALUE WILL NOT AFFECT THE POSITION OF PROTECTED TENANTS, HE EXPLAINED.

+ INTERESTINGLY, THE REASON IN THE OTHER FEW GENUINE CASES WHERE OWNERS PROPOSED INCREASES APPEARS TO BE THE FEAR THAT THE IR TENANTS MIGHT TRY TO USE THE NEW RATEABLE VALUES AS A BASIS FOR OBTAINING REDUCTIONS IN RENT,+ HE SAID.

/MR FRY