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The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:
An Enhanced Marking Scheme (EMS) on tenancy-related misdeeds leading to termination of tenancy will be introduced in all Housing Authority (HA) shopping centres and markets from Sunday (October 1) with a two-week grace period.
"The objective of the EMS is to sustain a clean and tidy environment through expansion of the existing Yellow Line Scheme to include the hygiene-related breaches in the tenancy agreement," a spokesman for the HA said.
"It is an administrative measure serving as a warning system to tenants and an objective standard for frontline staff to follow on when to enforce the termination provision in the tenancy agreement," he added.
The scheme covers misdeeds committed by the tenant, operator and employees. Tenants allotted with 16 points accumulated over a two-year period will have their tenancies terminated. They will be alerted once the accrued points reach 10 or above. Points accumulated will be valid for two years and will be cleared only upon expiry of the validity period.
When 16 points have been accrued, a Notice-to-Quit will be served to terminate the tenancy. "All relevant circumstances will be considered in deciding whether to issue the notice and the Housing Department (HD) will act in a reasonable manner," the spokesman said, adding that the tenant could appeal to the Appeal Panel as with all tenancy termination cases.
The scheduled misdeeds and the points to be allotted are:
(a) Unauthorised sale of cooked food/operation of food factory** - 7
(b) Denying the HD staff or staff representing the HD entry for inspection or repairs* - 7
(c) Disposing of trade refuse/junk/rubbish indiscriminately in public areas - 5
(d) Accumulating refuse/waste inside the leased premises, creating an offensive smell and hygienic nuisance - 5
(e) Unauthorised tapping/improper use of water from the HA's water points - 5
(f) Causing obstruction in the public areas* - 3
(g) Depositing paraphernalia indiscriminately on top of the shopstall* - 3
(h) Blocking floor drain and refusing to take timely remedial action* - 3
(i) Overspill of exclusively used grease trap* - 3
**Penalty points will be allotted against partial change/operation on a small scale in addition to the designated trade. Tenancy enforcement action against unauthorised change of trade that totally deviated from the designated trade will be taken in accordance with the terms of the tenancy agreement.
* Warning will be given to the tenant before allotting points under this misdeed.
Following a three-month consultation with the tenants and in response to their request, the warning mechanism has been simplified to comprise one written warning and prior warning extended to cover five items of scheduled misdeeds to enhance effectiveness of the EMS.
"The scheme is not applicable to markets let to single operators. They have to observe the obligations stipulated in their leasing agreements with the HA," the spokesman added.
Meanwhile, the Incentive Award Scheme will be relaunched to sustain customer satisfaction levels on the cleanliness of the HA's shopping centres. The award scheme will include the Award for Best Toilet Management and the Best Hygiene Award for Food Premises to be implemented on a quarterly basis.
Ends/Friday, September 29, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:34
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