CB(1) 887(02)

Panel on Housing
Meeting on 10 February 1998


I. List of concerns on "Problems arising from the introduction of Tenants Purchase Scheme" raised by members at the meeting on 19 January 1998

  1. liability of the Housing Authority (HA) and home buyers under TPS and the design of Deeds of Mutual Covenant in respect of the maintenance and management of the estates and other related issues;

  2. the basis for the calculation of the Stamp Duty (Please coordinate representatives of the Finance Bureau for the discussion of this subject);

  3. return of deposits on the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) to potential buyers including buyers of HOS phase 18 which estates have not yet been occupied; and

  4. measures in improving HOS. Reference should be made to the motion passed by the Provisional Legislative Council at its meeting on 7 January 1998:

"That, as the Tenants Purchase Scheme has been launched, this Council urges the Government to modify and improve the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) by adopting the following measures:

  1. allow HOS flat owners, on selling their flats in the secondary HOS flats market, to purchase second-hand HOS flats for their own use;

  2. increase the ratio of white-form applicants for allocation of HOS flats;

  3. set aside a certain portion of the proceeds from the sale of HOS flats for the setting up of a maintenance fund for these flats; and

  4. request the Housing Authority to bear responsibility for the 'problem HOS flats' caused by faulty construction works or insufficient monitoring."

II. Additional questions raised by Hon CHAN Kam-lam on 22 January 1998

  1. to provide mortgages to public housing waiting list applicants to buy their own homes;

  2. to review the production of Home Ownership (HO) flats and Sandwich Class Housing (SCH) flats having regard to the low attraction of the HO and SCH Schemes following the introduction of the Tenants Purchase Scheme;

  3. to review the eligibility criteria for HO Scheme and SCH Scheme in respect of the income and assets limits; and

  4. to allow comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients to buy public housing flats.