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Shroff counters at the management offices of all public rental housing estates will be closed on Saturdays from this week (April 14) as the Housing Department moves to phase two of the five-day week scheme.
"The migration of the shroff counter services to five-day week operation will have little impact on public housing tenants as the rent collection network has been expanded to compensate for closure on Saturdays," a spokesman for the department said today (April 12).
"Public rental housing households can pay their monthly rents at 7-Eleven convenience stores operating round the clock at more than 700 locations throughout the territory," he said.
Starting from May 24, the rent collection network will be further extended to cover Customer Service Centres at 50 MTR stations.
"Rent payment can also be made through autopay, payment-by-phone/web service, automatic teller machines, phone banking and internet banking services," the spokesman said.
The new opening hours of the shroff counters will be 8.45am to 6pm from Mondays to Fridays, with cash collection services generally provided from 9.15am to noon and from 2pm to 3.30pm daily.
"The cash collection service hours of individual estate office may vary depending on local needs," he said.
A drop-in box, together with blank papers and pens, will be placed at the entrance of the estate management offices, for people to leave messages or to submit documents.
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.
The spokesman stressed that essential services including emergency management and maintenance services for public housing estates, the department's Enquiry Hotline, anti-illegal hawking services and warden services at Housing for the Senior Citizens would not move to five-day work pattern.
Leaflets listing the new opening hours may be obtained from the estate management offices of public rental housing estates, the Housing Authority Customer Service Centre in Wang Tau Hom and the Housing Information Centre in Sham Shui Po. Rolling text on details of the department's opening hours, as well as those of other Government departments, will be broadcast on the Housing Channel.
For details of the new opening hours, members of the public can visit the Housing Authority website at www.housingauthority.gov.hk or the central website for the five-day week initiative at www.info.gov.hk/info/5day/. They can also call the 24-hour 1823 Citizen's Easy Link for further details.
Ends/Thursday, April 12, 2007
Issued at HKT 16:36
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