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The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:
The Housing Authority (HA) passed on the rates concession for 2011/12 set out in the Budget to its domestic and non-domestic tenants starting from April, as approved by its Subsidised Housing Committee and the Commercial Properties Committee.
"For domestic tenants, the apportioned amount of concession was transferred to the tenants on a monthly basis from April 2011 to March 2012 by offsetting an equivalent amount in the rent payable by the tenants," a spokesman for the HA said today (April 15).
For tenancies that do not cover the whole month, the transfer of the rates concession is made on a pro-rata basis.
"The transfer arrangement also applies to Interim Housing licensees paying licence fees," the spokesman said, adding that all sitting tenants and licensees have already been individually informed of the amount of rates concession they are entitled to.
"Similarly, the rates concession is also passed on to non-domestic tenants/licensees on a 'no-loss-no-gain' principle. They are exempted from paying the monthly rates from April 2011 to March 2012, for exclusive and inclusive lettings alike, subject to the capping limit of $1,500 per quarter for each rateable tenement. Letters were sent to non-domestic tenants/licensees notifying them of the concession amount, " the spokesman said.
For the three single-operator markets of the HA in Kwai Chung, Lei Muk Shue and Tin Yan, the operators have agreed to pass on the rates concession to their licensees in full.
Carparks, however, are not included in this exercise because of the significant administrative cost involved, the spokesman said.
"The rates concession received by the HA on carparks, about $2.16 per parking space per month, will be invested on enhancing the carpark facilities, such as installation of electrical vehicles charging facilities and replacement of energy-efficient lighting to promote environmental protection," he said.
The total amounts of rates concessions to be passed on to domestic and non-domestic tenants/licensees are estimated to be about $1,474 million and $29.5 million respectively.
Ends/Friday, April 15, 2011
Issued at HKT 14:34
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