[pin]

So the SCMP are reporting that they are going to improve the consumer laws in HK.

Lets see if it really happens:

SCMP.com - the online edition of South China Morning Post, Hong Kong's premier English-language newspaper

[sylvesterjay]

I'd like to see the complete BS practice of including "common spaces" in the square foot calculation of rent. What a complete, greedy crock of shite! I heard even windowsills are included. Gawd, landlords in HK are really lower than cockroackes.

[KnowItAll]

Not landlords - property developers.

[sylvesterjay]

well them too

[pin]

have to say hk has VERY weak consumer laws.

would love to see some stronger consumer protection in hk, however i think that is just a pipe dream.

[KnowItAll]

I am of the opinion that less laws ... the better of we are.

The cost of enforcing the law is too expensive under the british system we've inherited.

I'm assuming that any consumer issues would be civil issues and not criminal?

[sylvesterjay]

I agree, more govt interference is counter-productive. But look at the excesses the property developers get away with when left unchecked. There needs to be a balance. The government needs to step in when the market is incapable of restraining itself.

[pin]

Originally Posted by KnowItAll

I am of the opinion that less laws ... the better of we are.

The cost of enforcing the law is too expensive under the british system we've inherited.

I'm assuming that any consumer issues would be civil issues and not criminal?

while i generally agree the less laws the better, i do sometimes think that traders here can get away with most things and the consumer has pretty much no redress.

the editorial in the SCMP pretty much sums up my views.

i however do think that not much will come of the proposals.

[KnowItAll]

>> But look at the excesses the property developers get away with
>> when left unchecked

Property developers run the govt... why would they allow more controls to come into play?

[AJZ]

The government stepped in when the cash cows, oops I mean Mainland tourists got ripped off...

The developers will have a tantrum if the government hints at interference in their profits and will threaten to hold completed properties off the market till the government backs down. The developers never let the government forget who is 'boss'.