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The Sales of First-hand Residential Properties Authority (SRPA) today (October 23) advised prospective purchasers to seek clarification with the vendor if they have doubt as to whether a lobby to a fireman's lift forms part of a first-hand residential property.
According to the SRPA's understanding, a lobby to a fireman's lift should be a lobby formed by fire- and smoke-resisting construction inside which no combustible articles can be placed, and each lobby to a fireman's lift should have access, without any obstruction and lockable door, to an exit route.
"Prospective purchasers should be made aware of the restrictions on the usage of a lobby to a fireman's lift if that type of lobby forms part of a first-hand residential property for sale," a spokesman for the SRPA said.
The SRPA considers that if a vendor includes a lobby to a fireman's lift as part of a first-hand residential property for sale, the vendor may be required to state such information in the part on "relevant information" in the sales brochure for the development/phase of a development, given that there are restrictions on the usage of a fireman's lift lobby. The restrictions on the usage may materially affect the purchaser's enjoyment of the residential property, and prospective purchasers are not able to know by looking at the floor plan of the first-hand residential property in the sales brochure that a lobby to a fireman's lift forms part of a residential property, and may not be aware of the restrictions on the usage of such a lobby.
The SRPA will carry out investigation on suspected contravention of the Residential Properties (First-hand Sales) Ordinance.
Ends/Friday, October 23, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:01
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