Conditions of Rental Post Office Private Boxes 1. To apply for a Post Office Private Box (the box hereunder), the applicant shall submit a duly completed application form, together with all the necessary supporting documents. The Postmaster General (PMG) may at all discretion decline the application for renting a box if the applicant does not provide all the required information / document. Documents supplied, including the application form are not returnable no matter whether the application is successful or not. All the supporting document would be disposed of by Hongkong Post upon verification, unless a written request for return of the submitted document is received at the time the application form is submitted. If email address is provided, it would be used as an official correspondence address. 2. The boxes are rented on annual basis and the initial minimum period of rental is twelve months with effect from the day on which the box is supplied and this is renewable at all discretion of PMG for twelve months. No refund will be made in respect of boxes surrendered before expiry of the period of rental. 3. Keys and Locks One key is supplied free of charge and additional keys will be supplied on payment of HK$30 each. No keys other than those supplied by PMG may be used. All keys remain the property of PMG and are returnable to him on termination of period of rental. In cases where the renter desires a change of lock or a lock is changed by Hongkong Post due to late payment of the box rental, the renter will be required to pay the sum of HK$55, and to return all keys supplied, or pay the sum of HK$30 in lieu of each key not returned. One key to the new lock will be supplied free of charge. Renters should take care that box keys are not accessible to unauthorized persons. 4. Application for a change of lock shall be made to PMG in writing. The Renter of a box must defray all expenses for damage to such box, or to the lock or keys thereof, if caused by the box renter/box shared user(s) or due to their negligence. 5. A Post Office Private Box may be rented to Hong Kong residents of the age of 18 or over, or locally registered businesses or organizations and may not be rented for an improper purpose. The names of the renters and authorized shared user of the box shall be the ones indicated on a valid identity documents or registration documents issued by the Hong Kong Government. The name of a deceased person or a fictitious name should not be used as a registered name on the application form. PMG may refuse to let or re-let a box to any renter without assigning any reason for such refusal. The hours of access to the box may be varied at any time by PMG.
6. Transfer of Box Rights, etc. Transfer from one person to another is subject to the approval of PMG and will only be considered in the case of bona fide change of business or title or other sufficient reason. 7. Shared Boxes Box renters could apply for shared use of their boxes who must obtain the consent from the shared user(s) and submit the application in writing to PMG. Box renter and each shared user (person or firm) who is allowed to share a box during the same rental period will be required to pay 75% of the full rental of the box. If shared use of a box is applied after the start of the rental period of the box, each new shared user has to pay 75% of the full rental for share use of the box and the period of the shared use will end upon expiry of the current rental period. Full rental period by the renter will not be reduced under this situation. No refund will be made in respect of termination of the shared use of the box before the expiry of the rental period. Free shared use of a box with the rental is normally allowed in the following circumstances: (a) In the case of a FIRM: its proprietor and subsidiary companies with the same business registration number (relevant document such as business registration certificate copy verifying the relationship must be submitted); (b) In the case of a PERSON: box renter s natural mother or father, wife or husband recognized by law, natural son or natural daughter (relevant document such as birth or marriage certificate copy verifying the relationship must be submitted). Application for free shared use of a box must be made in writing to PMG. The right of shared use shall be subject to the original rental agreement between PMG and the renter and shall cease when the said agreement expired or is terminated for whatever reasons. All shared users shall observe the conditions under the Conditions of Rental. 8. Form of Address Correspondence to Post Office Private Box must show an addressee s name which matches the name of the box renter or his/her authorized sharer registered at Hongkong Post (the registered name ) and the address (including the box number and the name of the post office at which the box is located). Correspondence not complying with the above requirements may be delayed or treated as undeliverable and PMG shall not be responsible for any loss or damage arising from such delay or non-delivery. Delivery into a private box is in all respects equivalent to personal delivery to the addressee. 9. Box renters must clear their boxes regularly. In the event of inability to do so for any reason, they must appoint an agent to clear the box, provide him/her with a written authorization for a stated period and, in writing, notify PMG of such authorization and the period so covered. When a private box is filled with uncollected mail items obstructing further delivery of mail into the box, the uncollected mail items will be removed from the box and a notice and one subsequent reminder will be sent to the official correspondence address of the box renter
requesting collection of the mail items at the counter of the post office at which the box is located by a date specified in the notice and reminder. If the mail items remain uncollected for over one month after the date so specified, they will be returned to their respective senders (if known) or otherwise destroyed by PMG. Box renter agrees and acknowledges that PMG shall not be responsible for any loss or damage arising from any return or destruction of any mail item under this Condition. 10. Box renters will be informed, by means of a notification card, to collect mail items at counter. These mail items include registered, recorded delivery, insured, Local CourierPost, Speedpost, parcel, large packets, and any unregistered mail item that is too large for delivery into the private box. If collection is not made within the prescribed period stated on the collection card, the mail items will be returned to their respective senders (if known). 11. Box renters must send written request to PMG for any change of information as stated on the application form to Hongkong Post, including but not limiting to the email address, private/business addresses, telephone no. or names of box renters or authorized sharers registered with Hongkong Post. The change will be effective upon the issue of acknowledgement letter by Hongkong Post to the box renter confirming the change. Before the change is effective, Hongkong Post will continue to use the official correspondence addresses and names. Box renters agree and acknowledge that PMG shall not be responsible for any loss or damage arising from such use of the official correspondence addresses and names for providing services related to the box. 12. Delivery of Postal Items Proof of identity is required when collecting registered (including recorded delivery), insured, Speedpost and Local CourierPost items and parcels in addition to the mail delivery notification card withdrawn from the post office private box. Such proof is usually a Hong Kong Identity Card but any one of the following proof of identity is also acceptable: - A valid travel document; - Other identification documents issued by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region which bear a photograph of the renter. If you send an agent, he/she must produce his/her original identification document, the mail delivery notification card and either the original or a photostat copy of the identification document of the addressee. An employee or agent collecting on behalf of a firm or organization must produce any one of the following proof of identity in addition to his/her own identification document: - Valid Business Registration Certificate, original or photostat; - Letter of authority issued by the firm or organization on proper letter-head; - The company chop. 13. Post Office Private Box shall be used for the sole purpose of receipt of mail. It shall not be used for storage of any item other than mail. If a box renter fails to observe this Condition, PMG may immediately terminate the rental of the box or refuse to renew the rental. In the case of immediate termination, PMG shall not refund the rental charges or any part thereof for the unexpired rental period. If any item other than mail is found in a private box, a notice
and two reminders will be sent to the official correspondence address of the box renter requesting clearance of such item by a date specified in the notice and reminders. Any item other than mail remaining in the private box after the date so specified will be disposed of by PMG at his absolute discretion. Depending on the circumstances of the case, PMG may refer it to the Police or other proper authorities for follow-up action. Box renters agree and acknowledge that PMG shall not be responsible for any loss or damage arising from the action(s) of PMG and the Government or the termination or non-renewal of the rental in accordance with this Condition. 14. Rental Charges The annual charge is HK$370. The initial minimum rental period is twelve months and is renewable at the discretion of PMG for twelve months. No refund will be made in respect of services surrendered before date of expiry. 15. Provision of Bags The user must provide two bags each with a lock and two keys: the bags must be of a type approved by PMG. Delivery bag renters must have a Post Office Private Box number to which their correspondence is addressed. 16. Collection and Posting A post office private (locked) bag may be used either for collecting mail from, or for posting it at, a nominated post office. It may be used for both purposes; if it is, a double rental charge is made. 17. Registered Correspondence Registered articles for posting may be sent in the bag to the post office and the relative posting receipts will be duly returned; registered articles and parcels for delivery will be advised to the bag user by means of the delivery receipts which will be sent for signature. When these are signed, the articles will be enclosed in the returned bag. 18. Wrongly Addressed or Wrongly Delivered Item Any item or mail found in a box or bag and which has been wrongly delivered for whatever reason should be returned immediately to Hongkong Post with the reason for its return written on the address side of the cover, e.g. not for Box. Addressee unknown at Box. Registered items should be returned to the Post Office counter. 19. Renewal of Rental Renewal Notices are sent to renters at their rented box and/or official correspondence addresses around 2 months prior to the start of the renewal period. If the renewal fee is not received on or before the due date of the invoice issued by Hongkong Post, the box will be closed and the post office private (locked) bag service (if any) will also cease immediately after the end date of the current period of rental. Upon closing of the box, any mails left uncollected in the box will be returned to their respective senders (If known) or disposed of at the discretion of Hongkong Post. The Government and Hongkong Post shall not be responsible for any loss arising from the action(s) taken due to late payment by the renter. 20. Termination of Rental In the event of any non-compliance with the above Conditions by a box renter, PMG may either immediately terminate the rental or refuse renewal of the rental
with the box renter. In the case of immediate termination, PMG shall not refund the rental charges or any part thereof for the unexpired rental period. 21. The provision of Post Office Private Box service at individual post offices is subject to review by PMG from time to time. In case the service at a post office is discontinued by PMG for any reason, for instance, alteration, relocation or closure of the post office, PMG may terminate the rental of the boxes at the post office by advance written notice. In that event PMG shall refund to the box renter the rental charges on a pro rata basis for the unexpired rental period. 22. The fees and payments in relation to a Post Office Private Box are stipulated under section 13 of the Post Office Regulations (Cap 98A), which are subject to change from time to time and Hongkong Post reserves the right to claim for the shortage of any advanced payment made prior to the rental adjustment. THE FOREGOING CONDITIONS ARE SUBJECT TO AMENDMENT OR REVISION BY WRITTEN NOTIFICATION, AS HONGKONG POST MAY FROM TIME TO TIME CONSIDER APPROPRIATE. ANY AMENDED OR REVISED CONDITIONS SHALL APPLY TO ALL RENTERS OR USERS OF THE BOXES OR (LOCKED) BAGS. RENTERS OR USERS ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT THEY SHALL ACCEPT AND BE BOUND BY SUCH AMENDED OR REVISED CONDITIONS OR SHALL UNCONDITIONALLY DISCONTINUE THE RENTAL AND/OR USING ITS RELATED SERVICE IN CASE OF NON-ACCEPTANCE OF ANY OF SUCH AMENDED OR REVISED CONDITIONS.