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About 680,000 public rental housing households can use the Housing Department’s electronic payment cards to pay their monthly rent at 7-Eleven stores operating round-the-clock at over 700 locations throughout the territory from next Monday (March 19).
“The rent collection network will be further expanded to cover Customer Service Centres at 50 Mass Transit Railway (MTR) stations from May 24 (Thursday),” the Assistant Director of Housing (Estate Management), Mr Lee Cert-quinn, said.
However, rent collection service will not be available at the 7-Eleven store at the Kowloon Canton Railway Station in Sheung Shui and at the MTR’s Airport Express stations and Disneyland Resort Station.
“As it takes about three working days to process rent payments made through these channels, tenants should complete the transaction at least three working days before the end of the month,” Mr Lee said.
“Only cash payments are accepted. Tenants will receive a machine printed receipt as a proof of transaction. They are advised to check carefully and make sure the details printed on the receipt such as tenant code, payment date and time, as well as amount paid are correct,” he said.
Mr Lee also advised tenants to keep the receipt or make photocopy of it, if required, as record of rent payment.
Rent payments can still be made at estate management offices from Mondays to Fridays or through autopay, payment-by-phone and web service, automatic teller machines, phone banking and internet banking services.
Meanwhile, a pilot Auto-Dialing Rent Reminder Service is being introduced in 28 public rental housing estates between March and May this year. A gentle reminder for overdue payment in the form of Short Message Service or recorded message will be sent to the tenant’s mobile or residential phone once the rent is in arrears. The reminder will be sent in the middle and at the end of the month from 6 pm to 10 pm. The reminder service will be extended to all public rental housing estates after May this year.
Tenants may check their rent status and rent payment records of the recent six months by calling the 24-hour Rent Enquiry Hotline at 2712 0660.
Ends/Saturday, March 17, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:15
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