Rating and Valuation Department proactively investigates suspected breaches of tenancy control on subdivided units (with photos)

Part IVA of the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance (Cap.7) to implement tenancy control on subdivided units (SDUs) came into force on January 22 this year. A spokesperson for the Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) said today (July 6) that in addition to following up on report cases, the RVD is adopting a multi-pronged approach to proactively investigate suspected offences contravening the Ordinance in relation to regulated tenancies, including:

1. enquiring about the tenancy situations of those tenants calling the RVD's enquiry hotline regarding regulated tenancy;
2. sending invitations to the tenants shown on the Notices of Tenancy received for interviews; and
3. since the fifth wave of the pandemic has subsided, the RVD has been proactively visiting tenants of SDUs in various districts starting from the second half of May this year to promote tenancy control on SDUs, as well as to understand directly from the tenants of regulated tenancies if their landlords are suspected of committing the relevant offences, and to take follow-up action as appropriate.

The spokesperson for the RVD emphasised that if a landlord is suspected of committing the relevant offences, the RVD will consider taking legal action in accordance with the Ordinance. The relevant offences include: if a landlord of a regulated tenancy overcharges the tenant any money other than those types as permitted under the Ordinance, or overcharges for reimbursement for the specified utilities and services (including water and electricity), the landlord commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 3 ($10,000), and on a second or subsequent conviction to a fine at level 4 ($25,000). Details of other key offences and penalties are available in the relevant promotional material of the RVD (www.rvd.gov.hk/doc/en/RVD%20Offences_Penalities_Eng.pdf).

In case of any suspicion of a landlord committing the relevant offences, members of the public should report the case via the telephone hotline (2150 8303), by email (enquiries@rvd.gov.hk), by fax (2116 4920), by post or in person at the RVD’s office (15/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon) as soon as possible.

For enquiries related to a regulated tenancy, please call the above telephone hotline or visit the RVD’s webpage (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/our_services/tenancy_matters.html) for the relevant information.

6 July 2022

Photo

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  The Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) proactively investigates suspected breaches of tenancy control on subdivided units (SDUs). Photo shows RVD staff visiting tenants of SDUs in the To Kwa Wan area during the second half of June this year.

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  The Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) proactively investigates suspected breaches of tenancy control on subdivided units (SDUs).
  Photo shows RVD staff proactively visiting tenants of SDUs to promote the tenancy control on SDUs and to understand directly from the tenants of regulated tenancies if their landlords are suspected of committing the relevant offences.

  The Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) proactively investigates suspected breaches of tenancy control on subdivided units (SDUs). Photo shows RVD staff proactively visiting tenants of SDUs to promote the tenancy control on SDUs and to understand directly from the tenants of regulated tenancies if their landlords are suspected of committing the relevant offences.