Political situation
Written by: Lin Jian
2021-03-28 13:47
Last update date: 2021-03-28 13:48
Last year, the government appointed a subdivided rent control research working group to study the feasibility of implementing subdivided rent control.
The group held its last meeting today (24th) morning to finalize the report and submit the final report to the government this Wednesday.
According to the news, the meeting approved the content of the report, agreeing that the establishment of a "2+2" lease term, the increase in rents must be set in accordance with government indicators and capped at 15%, and there is no initial rent.
She Qingyun, a member of the Research Working Group on Subdivided House Rental Control and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Owners Association, criticized on the Hong Kong and Taiwan program "City Forum" that the "2+2" scheme is unfair to the landlord. Once it encounters a "rental hegemony", it is difficult for the landlord to ask the other party to leave; The plan currently discussed in the community is mainly to punish the owners, which is not fair.
He threatened that if "2+2" was to be implemented, the owner would rather demolish the existing sub-divided houses.
Questioned the difficulty of determining the "starting rent"
She Qingyun pointed out that the initial rent is difficult to determine. Even for sub-districts in the same district and building, the landscape and supporting facilities can be different. He asked how there are objective standards.
He believes that the rent increase problem is self-regulated by the market, and the 15% ceiling does not have too much impact on their owners. He also criticized government policy mistakes and insufficient public housing, but the target was transferred to small owners.
Regarding the priority renewal arrangement for "2+2" tenants, She Qingyun said excitedly that some bad tenants in the past can still ask the other party to leave after the end of the "dead agreement", but if it becomes "2+" 2", tenants can give priority to renewing the lease, that is, to endure for 4 years; it is threatened that if "2+2" is implemented, it will not be "rent management", but only "industry director", and would rather demolish the sub-divided house.
In actual implementation, She pointed out that some "rental tyrants" may have mental problems, drug abuse, malicious sabotage, etc. Other tenants dare not testify, and the owners are the victims.
He pointed out that he was the first to agree to the establishment of a "standard tenancy agreement," but he believed that "if you have to punish you, you will punish both sides."
Zheng Yongshun: In the long run, a mechanism similar to "additions and subtractions" should be established
The Chairman of the Legislative Council Subcommittee on Transitional Housing and Subdivided Housing Matters, Cheng Yongshun, said that tenants of subdivided housing have always lacked bargaining power. In the past, there were frequent incidents of landlords overcharging utility bills and forcing tenants to leave in order to earn higher rents. He believed that a decision should be made in the long run. Similar to the "addition or subtraction" mechanism.
Regarding the initial rent, he thinks it is possible to "open up discussion" and agree that the standard contract should be two-way, while protecting the landlord and tenant.
Former Legislative Council Member Zhang Chaoxiong said that many problems such as chaotic management of subdivided houses and excessive collection of water and electricity have existed for a long time. The rent management is only to correct the problem. He believes that if there is no initial rent, the government's cash allowance will definitely fall into the hands of the owners, a waste of public funds. .
He pointed out that even if the initial rent is difficult to calculate, there are ways to solve it. For example, some overseas countries will calculate the amount based on the local market value.
Deng Baoshan, the convenor of the Hong Kong Concerned Sub-Flat Housing Platform, said that he hopes that the sub-private housing rent law will really help the neighborhood after the implementation of the law. However, according to the current information, the protection is still not enough. The 15% ceiling for rent increases is still too high and should be followed. Inflation is reasonable.
He pointed out that the reality is that the bargaining power of landlords and tenants is not equal, and the problem of "rent hegemony" should be solved by improving the law enforcement mechanism, instead of directly not promoting rent control.
The report of the sub-rental rent management research team will be released. Focus on the platform: not setting the initial rent, huge loophole
Subdivided rent management | News: The group approves the report "2+2", 15% rent increase proposal
Subdivided rent management | Group holds final meeting, group petition reprimands 15% rent increase ceiling is in vain
Subdivided rent management | News: The group report advocates a 15% increase in rent according to the mechanism, unlimited initial rent
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Sub-House Rental Control Zheng Yongshun Zhang Chaoxiong
