THE latest batch of Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) flats on sale appeared to have lost some of its appeal after preferential arrangements were made for so-called double-rent public housing tenants.
The Housing Authority yesterday distributed 60,000 application forms - nearly 30 per cent less than the 85,000 forms snapped up in a previous batch.
Five hundred out of the 5,000 flats on sale were set aside for double-rent tenants.
A Wong Tai Sin Estate tenant, Gladys Tang Yu Miu-lan, said at the Lok Fu housing office: ''They are richer. I do not see why they should be given preference.'' Mrs Tang, who planned to buy a 500-square-foot flat in the Shau Kei Wan project, said the price was acceptable but feared the policy to set aside flats for tenants paying double-rent could affect her chance of success.
The authority said the move was to persuade better-off tenants to vacate their rented homes for the needy.
The relatively low turnout for applications was also caused by the bad weather, potential home-buyers said.