Taxpayer Services
IRD Homepage | IRD Info Touch | Electronic Enquiry Services | Telephone and Counter Enquiry Services | Outreaching Taxpayer Services and Extended Telephone Enquiry Services | Complaints | Performance Pledge
The Department aims to provide service
of a high standard to the public. Particular emphasis is placed on making
relevant information readily available to taxpayers. Various means are used,
such as the Internet, "Info Touch" information kiosks and an interactive
telephone answering system. During the course of the year, steps were taken
to review and enhance these services. A number of information pamphlets
on common issues of concern were also issued.
IRD Homepage
https://www.ird.gov.hk/
The IRD Homepage is an important means of disseminating information concerning the Department. By visiting the homepage, members of the public can gain access to a wide range of tax information and also download tax forms, tax pamphlets and software developed by the Department for submitting employer's return. In addition, the public can also compute their Salaries Tax liabilities through an interactive application on the homepage.
The contents of the homepage have been expanded. During the year, the IRD Homepage has put on a new look. To enhance accessibility by the public, about 5,000 'A4' size pages (an increase of 60% over the previous year) of tax information was re-structured under 7 headings. In order to facilitate the completion of tax return form, a demonstration guide was placed on the homepage in May 2001, together with comprehensive "Common Enquiries and Answers" on the topic. During the year, more than 5,030,000 'visits' were made to the homepage, representing an increase of some 300% over the previous year.
The Department has 5 multi-media information kiosks, set up in Revenue Tower, Mongkok Government Office and Tsuen Wan Sub-office, to provide members of the public with tax information through screen touching.
The number of users in 2001-02 was 26,429 and the most frequently accessed enquiry category was "Salaries Tax Computation".
The Department actively participated in the Government's Electronic Service Delivery (ESD) scheme, which aims to provide government services to the public through electronic means. In 2001-02, individual taxpayers with digital certificates could make enquiries in respect of their own tax files through the use of the Internet and public kiosk facilities.
To provide the public with a wider range of tax enquiry service and to offer the convenience of electronic services to those who do not have access to the Internet, TeleTax is launched in April 2002. By using a "Taxpayer Identification Number" (TIN) and a password for authentication, individual registered user can check his personal tax information anytime through a touch-tone phone.
With his TIN and password, a taxpayer can also enquire about his personal tax information through the enquiry services under the ESD scheme.
Telephone and Counter Enquiry Services
The Department's Enquiry Service Centre handles telephone and counter enquiries. The Centre, equipped with computer network, aims at providing an immediate "one-stop" service as far as possible.
The Centre makes use of an Interactive Telephone Enquiry System with 120 telephone lines. Callers can, on a 24-hour basis, gain access to a wide range of tax information by listening to recorded messages or obtaining facsimile copies of the information and forms. A leave-and-call-back facility is available. Callers are able to speak to enquiry officers during office hours.
Over 1.59 million telephone calls were answered by the Centre during the year (Figure 35). The number of calls answered by staff was 0.68 million. This represented a slight increase of 0.7%, as compared with the previous year (Figure 36). The increase was attributable to the redeployment of staff to strengthen operator services when required.
| Telephone calls | 2000-01 | 2001-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Answered by staff | 678,751 | 683,719 |
| Answered by system | 967,867 | 908,876 |
| Total | 1,646,550 | 1,592,595 |
| Telephone Enquiries | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | Increase / Decrease |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of calls answered by staff | 678,683 | 683,719 | +0.7% |
| Number of enquiries answered by staff | 804,423 | 811,322 | +0.9% |
| Numner of calls answered by system | 967,867 | 908,876 | -6.1% |
| Number of leave-and-call back messages | 75,517 | 84,533 | +11.9% |
| Number of fax supplied by the system | 25,712 | 20,564 | -20.0% |
Counter staff of the Centre are generally able to handle enquiries, collect mail and issue forms without the need to refer to other officers in the Department. A taxpayer service team with professionally qualified staff is also stationed in the Centre. The members of this team handle more complex cases. As other enquiry channels become increasingly popular, the number of counter enquiries decreased by 0.6%, as compared with the previous year (Figure 37).
| Counter Enquiries | 2000-01 | 2000-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of callers | 314,255 | 297,617 |
| Number of enquiries | 612,269 | 608,389 |
To make it easier for taxpayers to obtain tax information pamphlets and forms, two form stands are installed; one on the ground floor and the other on the first floor of the Revenue Tower.
Outreaching Taxpayer Services and Extended Telephone Enquiry Services
To assist taxpayers in completing tax returns, the Department's Enquiry Service Centre at the Revenue Tower as well as the Kowloon and Tsuen Wan sub-offices were open in the afternoons of 26 and 27 May 2001 (Saturday & Sunday) to provide enquiry services after office hours. To further strengthen the enquiry service, the Department extended hours during which the telephone enquiry service was manned in May, until 7 p.m. from Mondays to Fridays and 5 p.m. on Saturdays. These services were made possible through some 500 staff volunteering to serve the public beyond normal duty hours.
If a taxpayer is dissatisfied with the services provided by the Department or cannot solve his or her problem satisfactorily through normal channels, the Complaints Officer may be approached for assistance. The complaint channel provides taxpayers with the means of having individual grievances dealt with independently at a senior level. This ensures that such cases are properly handled in a fair and unbiased manner. During 2001-02, 550 complaints cases were received (Figure 38). This represents a decrease of 3%, as compared with the previous year.
| Complaint cases | 2000-01 | 2001-02 |
|---|---|---|
| Not Substantiated | 277 | 267 |
| Partially Substantiated | 202 | 196 |
| Substantiated | 87 | 87 |
| Total | 566 | 550 |
If a taxpayer is dissatisfied with any administrative action taken by the Department, the person concerned may refer the matter to the Ombudsman. During the year, the Ombudsman sought written comments from the Department in respect of 24 cases. In the light of these cases, the Department has reviewed relevant operations with a view to improving them.
There were 91 Letters of Compliments received during the year. Three officers of the Department also won individual awards from the Ombudsman.
The service standards a taxpayer can expect from the Department are set out in the Performance Pledge. Through the performance pledge programme, a customer-oriented culture has been taking a strong hold within the Department. From April 2001 onwards, the Department has introduced 6 enhanced pledges on telephone enquiries, written enquiries, notice of objection, tax holdover claims, refunds of tax and business registration. In recognition of the extent of achievement and improvement made in service standards and service quality, the Department was awarded an Honourable Mention by Efficiency Unit, the Government of the HKSAR during the year.
| Service | Target | Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| Counter
enquiries
|
95% | 98.9% |
| Telephone
enquiries
|
80% | 83.8% |
| Written
enquiries - simple matters |
99% | 100% |
| Written
enquiries - technical matters |
98% | 99.9% |
| Returns
processing - Profits tax returns |
80% | 87.3% |
| Returns
processing - Property tax returns |
96% | 98.9% |
| Returns
processing - Composite tax returns |
96% | 99.2% |
| Tax
returns for first-time - Profits tax taxpayers
|
98% | 100% |
| Tax
returns for first-time - Salaries taxpayers
|
98% | 99.9% |
|
Request for issuance of Notice of No Objection for Company Deregistration
|
98% | 99.9% |
| Tax
reserve certificate transactions
|
98% | 99.8% |
| Acknowledgements
of objection
|
98% | 99.9% |
| Processing
of objections
|
98% | 100% |
| Applications
for holdover of provisional tax
|
98% | 99.8% |
| Issue
receipts for tax payments made by electronic means
|
98% | 100% |
| Refunds
arising from overpayment of tax |
98% | 99.5% |
| Refunds
arising from revision of assessment |
98% | 100% |
| Tax
audit and investigation
|
80% | 91.9% |
| Assignments
and sale and purchase agreements |
98% | 100% |
| Application
for deferred payment of Stamp Duty on agreements for sale of residential
property
|
98% | 100% |
| Contract
notes and lease agreements |
98% | 99.9% |
| Claims
for exemption (for transfers between group companies) |
80% | 90.8% |
|
New business registration certificates - Application over the counter |
97% | 99.9% |
|
New business registration certificates - Application by post |
99% | 100% |
|
Extracts information of business registration
|
99% | 100% |
| Change
of business registration particulars
|
99% | 100% |
| Estate
duty affidavits / statements in lieu of affidavit
|
90% | 92.6% |
Vision, Mission and Values | Contents
| Commissioner's Overview | Revenue
| Assessing Functions | Collection
| Field Audit and Investigation | Taxpayer Services
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中文版年報 (Chinese Version)
(Last updated/reviewed : January 13, 2003)