Flats owner accused of forcing residents out to profit from expansion of MTR
A landlord yesterday was accused of evicting 60 Kennedy Town tenants to cash in on the booming property market by using amended rental laws that make it easier for owners to take back their flats.
Social workers helping the tenants warned that more residents in Western District would face eviction amid soaring property prices in the area since the MTR Corporation said it would extend its rail service to Kennedy Town.
The 60 tenants from Kwan Yick Building and the Kai Yuen Lau residential block, near Belcher's Street, yesterday said they were given letters to vacate next year by the landlord, Excellent Master Limited.
They said Excellent Master had sold the two 30-year-old buildings to Weal Rise Investments. Both companies could not be reached for comment yesterday. It is unclear if the blocks will be redeveloped.
Raymond Cheung Wai-ming, of the Caritas Mok Cheung Sui Kun Community Centre, said the tenants had become victims of the rental law amended in June last year. 'It seems that some developers are making use of the power given under the law to evict the tenants as they see the property market is flourishing,' he said.
The tenants yesterday sought help from the Legislative Council's complaints division and wanted lawmakers to take the matter to Legco's housing panel.
