XN000022-1986-07-02 — Page 24

WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 198

£2

CALL TO PUNISH PROF ITEERING LANDLORDS

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CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO PUNISHING THOSE LANDLORDS WHO LEAVE THE IR DOMESTIC PROPERTIES VACANT FOR PERIODS OF MORE THAN SI> MONTHS BY IMPOSING A PROHIBITIVE TAX, THE HON ANDREW WONG SAID TOD. (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATION) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986, MR WONG SAID HIS SUGGESTION MIGHT SOUND THEORETICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL BUT WAS IN FACT PRACTICAL.

ALTHOUGH THE SOLUTION COULD BE COSTLY, IT WAS PRACTICABLE,

HE SAID.

MR WONG OBSERVED THAT PRICES AND RENTALS WERE DETERMINED BY DEMAND AND SUPPLY AND THAT OWNERS OF DOMESTIC PREMISES SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO PROFITEER THROUGH HOARDING.

THEREFORE, HE SUGGESTED THAT CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO PUNISHING THOSE LANDLORDS WHO LEFT THEIR DOMESTIC PROPERTIES VACANT FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS BY IMPOSING A PROHIBITIVE TAX SUCH AS DOUBLING THE IR PROPERTY TAX.

MR WONG ALSO SAID THAT THE PROPOSED RENTAL ADJUSTMENTS IN PRE-WAR DOMESTIC PREMISES AND POST-WAR DOMESTIC PREMISES HAD TO BE VIEWED IN THE WIDER PERSPECTIVE OF THE TOTAL DOMESTIC HOUSING STOCK AND THE RENTALS CHARGED.

HE NOTED THAT NOT ALL PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS WERE POOR AND NOT ALL PRIVATE HOUSING TENANTS WERE RICH.

+THINK OF THOSE POOR TENANTS AND SUB-TENANTS IN PRIVATE HOUSING WHO LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH, HE ADDED.

+

EXTENSION OF HOUSING SCHEMES URGED

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THE HON LEE YU-TAI SUGGESTED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONSIDER EXTENDING THE HOME OWNERSHIP AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEMES AND SETTING UP A HOME PURCHASE LOAN FUND TO TAKE CARE OF THE +SANDWICH CLASS+.

PEOPLE IN THE +SANDWICH CLASS+ WERE MAINLY LIVING IN CONTROLLED PREMISES .IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THEREFORE WERE MOST LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY THE RENT DE CONTROL POLICY, HE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

/SPEAKING