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The Home Affairs Department (HAD) today (September 7) held a building maintenance workshop for members of owners' corporations (OCs) and owners' committees, Resident Liaison Ambassadors and owners, to further enhance their knowledge in the area so as to safeguard their own interests and ensure the smooth implementation of building maintenance work.
With the Mandatory Building and Window Inspection Scheme fully implemented, property owners must pay more attention to building maintenance works, especially regarding the cost involved and problems like bid-rigging. The HAD has all along been working closely with relevant departments and organisations, through enhancement to procedures as well as publicity and education, to provide better support for OCs and owners.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Police were invited to the workshop to provide advice on effective corruption and crime prevention measures respectively, while the Law Society of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors gave a briefing on the relevant provisions and professional advice on practical procedures relating to building maintenance work.
Addressing the workshop, the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mrs Betty Fung, said the workshop launched another new round of the territory-wide publicity and education campaign on building management and maintenance. The HAD, from this month to February next year, will launch a series of TV promotional videos, leaflets and seminars for owners and OCs. Mrs Fung also encouraged owners to learn more about building works and to actively participate in the discussion at an early stage, so as to select the most appropriate work plan.
She added that owners, OCs and residents' organisations need different kinds of assistance, as building management and maintenance cover various areas of expertise. The HAD has all along been adopting a multi-pronged approach to help them, including the implementation of the Building Management Professional Advisory Service Scheme, commissioning property management companies to assist "three-nil" buildings in forming OCs, and following up on matters relating to maintenance work and tendering. The "AP Easy" Building Maintenance Advisory Service Scheme also offers free professional support to OCs that intend to carry out large-scale maintenance projects in engaging works consultants.
In addition, the HAD proposes to amend the Building Management Ordinance, to the effect that for large-scale maintenance projects the quorum requirement should be raised to allow more owners to join the discussion. The relevant proposal was included in a public consultation launched by the Department last November and received general support.
Mrs Fung also encouraged owners, OCs and property management companies to work in harmony in building management. She appealed to them to continue to do their part to make their accommodation more desirable and satisfactory.
Ends/Monday, September 7, 2015
Issued at HKT 20:55
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