A recent survey of public housing residents showed that more than half of those interviewed complained about price hikes in shopping malls and wet markets managed by The Link Management (the Link).

The company took over from the government the management of 180 retail and carpark facilities in public housing estates in 2005 when these facilities were bought by the Link Real Estate Investment Trust.

The Federation of Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories Housing Estates Resident & Shopowner Organizations (the federation) conducted the survey on 2,760 consumers at the Link's 49 malls and 42 fresh markets in July and August.

The majority of respondents are housing estates tenants.

More than 50 percent of respondents said things were more expensive after the Link had taken over management of the facilities from the government.

Among the respondents close to 30 percent said things are more costly due to higher rent. Another 30 percent ascribed it to inflation.

Over 30 percent of respondents noted that the cost was hard or getting harder to bear.

Although customers now have to pay more, about 50 percent said there was no improvement in management quality since the Link took over.

Also, 50 percent said the introduction of chain stores didn't offer them more choices.

Chairman of the federation Wong Kwun said rent at the Link's facilities had increased from 18 percent last year to 30 to 40 per cent this year.

Tenants faced higher cost from the increase in rent and the newly introduced management fee, he said.

As a result, consumers have to pay higher price, he said.

Fifty-something housewife Chan, a frequent customer at the Link's Shek Wai Kok Shopping Centre in Tsuen Wan, said the price in fresh market and restaurants there have doubled.

For example, now she has to spend HK$40 at the fresh market to cook a meal for three, which is 50 per cent more expensive than last year.

She also said choice was limited at the fresh market. There were very few stalls. Perhaps the high rent forced tenants to leave, she said.

The price at public fresh market at Yeung Uk Road is HK$2 cheaper and offers more choices.

However, she would still do her daily shopping at Shek Wai Kok because it was close to her home.

She said since August fast food shops and restaurants have also respectively increased HK$2 to HK$10 for a dish.

"The price rise has increased my burden but what can I do? I still have to buy and eat," she added.

To ease the consumers' burden, Wong Kwun suggested the Link to cut rent in facilities at housing estates with smaller and aging populations.

He also said the government should re-buy shares of the Link if it continues to increase rent.

(HK Edition 09/27/2007 page6)