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The Housing Department (HD) always spares no effort in combating abuses of public housing resources. Five public rental housing (PRH) residents who did not declare their landed property ownership to the HD were prosecuted for making a false statement knowingly or neglecting to furnish information specified in a declaration form.
"In the first case, three PRH residents did not declare their ownership of three properties and related income when filling in an income declaration form. After investigation, they were prosecuted for neglecting to furnish information specified in the income declaration form, contrary to Section 27(a) of the Housing Ordinance. The three defendants were convicted and ordered to pay a fine of $16,000 for each summons at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court on April 11," a spokesman for the Housing Department said today (April 13).
In the second case, two PRH residents attended an interview in the Public Housing Resources Management Subsection of the HD. On an asset declaration form, they deliberately concealed their joint ownership of a property and its net value. After completion of the investigation, the two defendants were prosecuted for knowingly making a false statement in the asset declaration form, contrary to Section 26(1)(a) of the Housing Ordinance. The two defendants were convicted and fined $30,000 each at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court on April 11.
Tenants who have been living in PRH for 10 years or more are required to declare their household income in a biennial cycle. Those with a household income exceeding the corresponding Subsidy Income Limits are required to pay 1.5 times or double net rent as appropriate. Tenants paying double net rent have to declare assets at the next cycle of declaration. Those who opt not to declare, or whose total household assets value exceed the prescribed Net Assets Limits, are required to vacate their public housing flats.
Declarable incomes include those from employment, self-employment, business undertakings and revenue generated from assets. Interest from fixed deposits and investment, pensions and the like are also counted. Assets include land and landed property, vehicles, taxi and public light bus licences, business undertakings, investment, deposits and cash.
The spokesman said that households should complete the income and asset declaration forms accurately, which forms the foundation for assessment of rent. Before making the declarations, households should read the content and completion guidelines of the income and asset declaration form carefully and compute their income and assets in accordance with the methods specified. Otherwise, they may contravene Section 26(1)(a) of the Housing Ordinance (if convicted, the maximum penalty is a $50,000 fine and imprisonment for six months) or Section 27(a) of the Housing Ordinance (if convicted, the maximum penalty is a $25,000 fine and imprisonment for three months).
Notwithstanding the above, the HD will take action to recover the undercharged rent incurred due to the inaccurate information.
Ends/Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Issued at HKT 17:01
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