The Housing Authority today announced that it will pass on the rates concession for the first two quarters of 2023-24 to its domestic and non-domestic tenants starting from April.
 
The measure was set out in this year’s Budget.
 
A maximum amount of $1,176 million will be passed on to domestic tenants, while non-domestic tenants and licensees will receive a maximum of $16.6 million.
 
The authority said domestic tenants' rates from April 1 to September 30 will be waived on a monthly basis subject to a cap of 1,000 per quarter. A pro-rata basis will be used for tenancies that last for less than a month.
 
The rates concession passing-on arrangement will apply to interim housing licensees as well.
 
The rates concession for the authority’s non-domestic properties, excluding car parks, will also be passed on to non-domestic tenants or licensees.
 
Their monthly rates will be waived subject to a ceiling of $1,000 per quarter for each rateable non-domestic property.
 
For the authority's 18 single-operator markets, the operators will pass on the rates concession to their licensees in full.
 
These markets are in the estates of Ching Long, Choi Fook, Chun Yeung, Hoi Tat, Hung Fuk, Kwai Chung, Lei Muk Shue, Mun Tung, On Tai, Pak Tin, Queens Hill, Shek Mun, Shui Chuen O, Tin Yan, Yan Tin, Ying Tung, Kai Chuen and Ping Yan.