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The Rating and Valuation Department has upgraded its Property Information Online (PIO) service (www.rvdpi.gov.hk) to include an online enquiry service to access a property's account balance in respect of rates and Government rent.
Starting today (December 29), people can go online to check any outstanding liability in rates and Government rent relating to a property. This service will streamline the property transactions process.
"Previously, people could only confirm the outstanding rates and Government rent relating to a property either in person or by post at a charge of $81 per record. However, with the introduction of the new service, such information can be obtained instantly through the department's round-the-clock online service, and at a much reduced fee of $20 per record," a spokesman for the department said.
This enhancement reflects the department's continuous efforts to extend the scope of its PIO services. Since its launch last February, the PIO has offered convenient online access to essential property information, which now includes account balance of rates and Government rent, rateable values, saleable area, age and permitted use of properties.
"We are committed to rendering quality services to our customers. Our PIO offers a versatile bilingual search engine with five different search paths for nearly 2.6 million property address records. It is one of the most comprehensive bilingual property address databases in Hong Kong. When showing a property record in accordance with our database, the corresponding property address registered in the Land Registry is also displayed for reference," the spokesman added.
As at November, the PIO had already provided information on over 340,000 property records online. The service has been well received by surveyors, solicitors and estate agents, as well as government departments and quasi-government bodies whose work is property-related.
Users can view the required information online or obtain it by email, fax or downloading. Payment can be made online using credit cards or PPS. Frequent users can apply for subscriber accounts for more convenient use of the system. The service charges for a subscriber account are $25 a month for the main Login ID and $10 for each supplementary Login ID if needed.
For enquiries, call 2150 8836 or email pio_enquiries@rvd.gov.hk
Ends/Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Issued at HKT 10:30
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