Satisfaction levels of public housing households towards estate management services have been improving and residents are generally happy about shopping centres in their housing estates, according to Housing Department's newly completed Public Housing Recurrent Survey 2004.

Deputy Director of Housing Lau Kai-hung said it is encouraging to see customers satisfied with their services.

"We will continue to provide management, maintenance and other housing-related services to our customers in a proactive and caring manner. Our aim is to establish a new culture in the management of public housing, as we work more closely with our customers," he said.

The yearly survey is conducted to collect salient socio-economic characteristics of public housing households and their views towards housing-related topics.

Overall response rate 90%

A total of 3,400 households were interviewed, of which 2,800 were from public rental housing, 300 from home ownership scheme courts and 300 from tenants purchase scheme estates. The overall response rate was 90%.

The percentage of public rental housing households very satisfied or satisfied with the quality of security service rose from 49.1% in 2002 to 65.2% this year. The rating for cleanliness and hygienic conditions of common area also increased, from 45.5% to 61.7%.

More than 80% of the three categories of households were, in general, satisfied with the shopping centres in their estates or courts.

However, the survey also found a number of households considered the variety of retail provision and ancillary facilities such as car parking spaces inadequate.