The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:

     The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (March 7) hosted the Estate Management Services Contractors Awards 2017 presentation ceremony. A total of 40 awards were presented to services contractors, estate managers and frontline staff in recognition of their outstanding performance in managing the HA's properties in the past year.

     Officiating at the presentation ceremony, the Deputy Director of Housing (Estate Management), Miss Rosaline Wong said, "The Housing Department (HD) attaches great importance to the quality and performance of service contractors. Provided with effective administration of high transparency, we monitor the performance of the contractors closely to ensure their delivery of quality and reliable services. Over the years, we have maintained good communications and exchanges, which are imperative to strengthening the improvement of estate management services."
 
     The HD has an established a stringent tender system and contract management mechanism to ensure quality and reliable estate management services. To encourage healthy competition, a briefing session on details of property service contracts and requirements for registration in the HD's counterparty list was organised last year to attract potential services contractors to tender for estate management contracts. The HD has also relaxed the limit on the number of flats a service contractor can manage, so as to encourage outstanding performing service contractors to continue to excel in their management quality.

     The Estate Management Services Contractors Awards is organised annually to give due recognition to service contractors with an excellent performance. The awards this year went to 14 property, cleansing, security services contractors and carpark operators, 7 estate managers and 12 front-line staff. The estates managed by the winners of the Best Public Rental Housing Estate (Property Services) include Cheung Ching Estate, Choi Yuen Estate, Kwai Fong Estate, Fu Tung Estate, Tsz Hong Estate, Sheung Lok Estate and Shui Pin Wai Estate (please see attached table for details).

     The award winners were determined based on the combined scores given by the assessment panel, the HD's supervisory teams, feedback from Estate Management Advisory Committees and the results of random surveys conducted among residents.

     Currently, more than half of the management of the HA’s public rental housing estates is outsourced to property services agents, and many maintenance tasks in the HA estates are carried out by contractors. By leveraging the private sector's resources and experience in managing private properties, the HA seeks to raise the level of its estate management services and to provide a safe and pleasant living environment for its tenants.

Ends/Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Issued at HKT 18:30

NNNN