Press Releases

The Government announced today (April 7) that the Deferral of Payment of Rates and/or Government Rent for Specified Commercial Premises Scheme will open for application tomorrow (8 April). The registered rates and/or Government rent payer or its authorised agent, whose tenement(s) is/are wholly or primarily used as Specified Commercial Premises (see Annex) and subject to an existing tenancy as at the date of application, may apply to the Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) for deferring the payment due date for the quarterly demand for April to June 2022 (and that for January to March 2022 if still outstanding) from April 29 to August 12.

For rates and/or Government rent accounts without autopay instructions, applications must be served on the RVD on or before May 6. For accounts with autopay instruction, the application deadline is April 20. Any application received by the RVD after the respective deadlines will not be processed. The RVD will inform the applicant of the result normally within three weeks from the date of receipt of the application.

To enable expeditious processing of applications, eligible registered payers are strongly advised to apply online by submitting an electronic form (e-RVD 1070) using the Electronic Submission of Forms service on the RVD’s website www.rvd.gov.hk. Alternatively, they may submit a completed form (RVD 1070) in person or by post to the RVD at 15/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon. In this connection, the form RVD 1070 is available around the clock by downloading from the RVD’s website, by calling its hotline 2152 0111 (handled by “1823”) or its automated telephone enquiry service on 2152 2152.

This administrative measure to defer payment of rates and Government rent for Specified Commercial Premises forms part of the enhancements to the Rental Enforcement Moratorium measure proposed in the 2022-23 Budget to enhance liquidity support of business tenants of specified sectors affected by the fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic. The Bill for introducing the statutory measure, i.e. the Temporary Protection Measures for Business Tenants (COVID-19 Pandemic) Bill, which was gazetted on March 18, is subject to the scrutiny and approval of the Legislative Council.

7 April 2022

Annex

The “Specified Commercial Premises” refer to:

1. Scheduled premises under section 2 of Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F), include the following types of premises but excludes a cruise ship, and a self-service shop (commonly known as supermarket) where fresh produce, food other than fresh produce, beverages and household goods are sold:
1. Amusement game centre
2. Bathhouse
3. Fitness centre
4. Place of amusement
5. Place of public entertainment
6. Premises (commonly known as party room) that are maintained or intended to be maintained for hire for holding social gatherings
7. Beauty parlour
8. Club-house
9. Establishment (commonly known as club or nightclub) that is open late into the night, usually for drinking, and dancing or other entertainment
10. Karaoke establishment
11. Mahjong-tin kau premises
12. Massage establishment
13. Sports premises
14. Swimming pool
15. Hotel or guesthouse (except the premises specified in the Schedule to the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation (Exclusion) Order (Cap. 349 sub. leg. C))
16. Premises that
1. are not
1. private premises; or
2. a place of public entertainment; and
2. are for the time being used, with the consent of the owner, manager or tenant of the premises, for holding a specified event (including a meeting, forum, symposium, exhibition, ceremonial event and celebratory event).
17. Premises other than a beauty parlour (commonly known as barber shop or hair salon) where a person may have his or her hair on the face or on the head shaved, trimmed, cut or washed, or have other treatments done to the hair
18. Religious premises
19. Shopping mall
20. Premises (commonly known as department store) where a wide variety of goods (for example, men’s and women’s clothing, furniture, electrical appliances and hardware) are sold in separate departments
21. Market
2. Catering and food business premises
3. Child care centre (as referred to under the Child Care Services Ordinance (Cap. 243))
4. Kindergarten
5. Private primary day school and private secondary day school, including international school, private independent school, and other private primary day school and private secondary day school offering formal curriculum
6. Retail shop, but excluding self-service shop (commonly known as supermarket) where fresh produce, food other than fresh produce, beverages and household goods are sold
7. Tutorial school (tutorial school means an exempted school as defined by section 2 of the Education (Exemption) (Private Schools Offering Non-Formal Curriculum Order (Cap. 279 sub. Leg. F)))
8. Premises where hobby classes are provided
9. Premises where the business of travel agents (as referred to under the Travel Agents Ordinance (Cap. 218)) is carried on
10. Premises where the business of cruise ships (as referred to under section 1 of Part 2 of Schedule 2 to Cap. 599F)) is carried on (excluding cruise ships)
11. Premises where the business of employment agencies (as referred to under section 50(1) of the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57)) is carried on
12. Premises where the business of organizing pop concerts is carried on
13. Premises where the business of providing catering services for schools and post secondary education institutions is carried on
14. Premises where the laundry trade is carried on
15. Premises where the dishware washing trade is carried on
16. Premises where a performing arts group in the arts and culture sector operates the business of the group
17. Premises where the fresh food wholesale business is carried on