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The Housing Bureau announces that bilingual telephone hotlines [2186 8323 (Cantonese), 2186 8322 (English)] and a website (http://www.info.gov.hk/hb/) will come into operation tomorrow (August 1) to collect public views and to receive complaints relating to sales brochures of local uncompleted residential properties.
The facilities will support the work of the Committee on Sales Description of Uncompleted Residential Properties set up by the Housing Bureau to monitor and assess the adequacy of information in sales brochures of local uncompleted residential properties.
"The hotlines will operate 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. They will be manned to attend to callers during office hours between 9 am and 5 pm from Mondays to Fridays, and 9 am and 12 noon on Saturdays. After office hours, callers may leave their contact particulars in the recording mail boxes so that we may call them back as soon as possible. The public may also send us their opinions or complaints through the website," a Housing Bureau spokesman said.
Complaints relating to specific development projects will be referred to the property developers concerned, the Housing Authority or the Housing Society for investigation. The Committee on Sales Description of Uncompleted Residential Properties will consider the investigation reports and recommend what action or sanctions to be taken. The Housing Bureau will monitor the progress of all cases and will convey to the complainants results of investigations as soon as possible.
The Committee on Sales Description of Uncompleted Residential Properties, on which the Consumer Council, the Housing Authority, the Housing Society and the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong are represented, will receive reports on investigations of complaints and public views collected through the hotlines and the website.
In addition, the Committee will also study sales brochures made available to the consumers. The Committee will make recommendations for improvements to enhance consumer protection in the purchase of local uncompleted residential properties.
End/Tuesday, July 31, 2001
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