LCQ12: Enhancing management of property maintenance and fire safety
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Question:
There are views that in light of the outbreak of a No.5 alarm fire during maintenance works at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, the Government should clearly define the respective roles of property management companies (PMCs) and owners' corporations (OCs) in major building repair works (overhauls), leverage technology to assist in inspection and review, and improve the management of building fire safety. In this regard, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it will review the delineation of the respective powers and responsibilities of PMCs or OCs at various building overhaul stages, including early-stage tendering, construction, and completion inspection, and study the feasibility of stipulating in deeds of mutual covenant that PMCs shall provide advice on building management for stakeholders' reference at different overhaul stages;
(2) whether it will, drawing on the Mainland's experience, establish a Construction Project Management System under which the Buildings Department appoints an independent supervisor responsible for oversight of overhauls (including examination of maintenance consultants' reports, maintenance recommendations, material recommendations, maintenance tender details, and tender analysis reports) and co-ordinate the roles of all relevant stakeholders in works projects, so as to eradicate bid-rigging and enhance regulatory oversight, safety and efficiency of projects;
(3) as it is learnt that during the fire disaster at Wang Fuk Court, fire alarms did not go off, fire hydrants were not supplied with water, and fire doors in the buildings were found to be often left open, whether the authorities will leverage technology in building planning by mandating the adoption of intelligent firefighting and safety technology standards, including establishment of Internet of Things fire detection systems and installation of online sensors at critical public locations to instantly transmit alerts to PMCs and residents' mobile phones in the event of abnormal situations; addition of intelligent automatic fire extinguishing devices; and utilisation of Building Information Modelling technology to conduct fire simulations and evacuation analyses for improvement of layouts;
(4) as it is learnt that following the outbreak of the Wang Fuk Court fire, the country mandated nationwide deployment to launch an inspection and rectification campaign targeting major fire risks and hazards in high-rise buildings, whether the Government will, by drawing on the Mainland's experience, examine fire hazards in all buildings across the territory, and comprehensively leverage technology to improve building firefighting designs, while working in parallel to raise public awareness of fire safety through education and extensive publicity; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(5) whether it will consider, by drawing reference from Macao's Legal Regime for the Administration of the Common Parts of the Condominium, studying the enactment of legislation or stipulation in deeds of mutual covenant requiring buildings to establish a common reserve fund to cover unforeseen expenditures and other necessary expenses arising from the maintenance of their common parts;
(6) whether it will leverage its Common Spatial Data Infrastructure to create a high-precision 3D digital Visualisation Map model of Wang Fuk Court and integrate relevant data for an in-depth investigation and review of the fire incident, such as through simulated re-enactment, cause analysis and system review; and
(7) whether it will establish a whole-process information management platform based on geoblockchain technology for property overhaul projects, and make use of blockchain technology to assist in monitoring standards compliance of the construction materials in use and tracing their procurement sources, while the platform can also record information relevant to the building overhaul projects, including records of OCs' and owners' meetings, background information of all bidding companies, due diligence on successful bidding companies and the entire construction process, so as to realise immutable, transparent whole-chain traceability, thereby effectively reducing the risk of human falsification and enhancing industry quality?
Reply:
President,
Building safety is the foundation of a liveable city and a subject to which the Government attaches great importance. The fire incident in Tai Po has highlighted the importance of management of building maintenance works, strict compliance with fire safety requirements, and the enhancement of building management. Relevant Government departments are actively reviewing how to further clarify the responsibility and improve the regulatory framework regarding property management and works supervision, as well as the application of technology to enhance building maintenance and fire safety.
Having consulted the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Security Bureau, the replies to the various parts of the question are as follows:
(1) Private property rights not only confer entitlements but also entail responsibilities for management and maintenance. When owners jointly own the common areas of private buildings, they must collectively undertake the management and maintenance responsibilities for these areas. The Building Management Ordinance (BMO) aims to provide a legal framework that allows owners to perform building management duties on behalf of all owners by establishing an owners' corporation (OC) as an independent legal entity. Specifically, under section 16 of the BMO, after the establishment of an OC, all rights and responsibilities of the owners regarding the common parts of the building are exercised and fulfilled by the OC. In other words, the OC is legally obligated to properly manage and maintain the common areas of the building, including major repair works related to the building.
Meanwhile, during the repair process of properties, licensed property management companies (PMCs) have to participate in co-ordinating and communicating for the project in accordance with the contracts signed with owners or the OC. In addition, the Property Management Services Authority (PMSA) has issued the Code of Conduct on "Handling Building Works" (the Code) and relevant Best Practice Guide under the Property Management Services Ordinance (PMSO) to assist PMCs in handling building works in a professional and effective manner. Among other things, the Code stipulates the general roles and responsibilities of PMCs, such as posting notices in prominent areas of the property before the commencement of works to inform owners and relevant parties about the details of the works, conducting appropriate monitoring and record-keeping during the works period, and carrying out proper clear-up after completion and adequately restoring damaged facilities due to the works.
If the PMSA has reasonable grounds to suspect that a licensee has failed to comply with the Code, it may initiate an investigation. Upon completion of the investigation and if a disciplinary offence is confirmed, the PMSA may conduct a hearing and impose penalties according to the PMSO, including verbal warnings or written reprimands, fines, imposing or varying a condition of the licence, temporarily suspending the licence, or revoking the licence.
(2) At present, most building maintenance works are designated as Class II minor works, for which only the appointment of a contractor is required for carrying out the works. In response to the fire incident in Tai Po, the Government is further reviewing the Buildings Ordinance with a proposal to upgrade major building maintenance works to Class I minor works. In the future, apart from appointing a contractor, it will also be necessary to appoint a third-party building professional to submit prescribed plans, precautionary measures, and supervision plans. This building professional, who must be independent of the contractor, will assist the owners in supervising the works. The Buildings Department (BD) will step up audit checks and enforcement action. Penalties will be imposed if works are found not to be carried out in accordance with the submitted plans.
On the other hand, the Development Bureau, in collaboration with the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), introduced the "Smart Tender" service in 2016. Independent consultants would provide owners with independent third-party professional advice on major building maintenance works, covering areas such as whether the scope of works compiles with the requirements of the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme and the reference prices for the works projects, etc. Upon review, the Government will strengthen the URA's "Smart Tender" service, including the formulation of a more rigorous "pre-qualified list" of consultants and contractors. In addition to considering technical and manpower requirements as well as records of criminal convictions and disciplinary actions, more indicators reflecting performance will be taken into account. Consultants and contractors must also pass background checks by the Police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption before they can be included in the list and participate in tendering. Delisting arrangements and regular reviews of the list will also be introduced. Furthermore, the URA will conduct the tendering and tender assessment work for owners participating in the "Smart Tender" platform. If the owners concerned have applied for Government subsidies for building maintenance, they must accept the consultants and contractors determined by the URA as a condition for the subsidies. As for other buildings that have not applied for Government maintenance subsidies, the URA will also provide recommendations on the successful bidder to the owners. For buildings applying for Government maintenance subsidies, after the commencement of works, the URA will require consultants and contractors to report to the URA at critical project junctures, such as significant amendments to the scope of works or increases in project costs, so that the URA may offer independent advice to the owners.
The Government is currently discussing the details of the above reform directions with the URA. It is believed that the above will attract quality consultants and contractors to participate in building maintenance works, while reducing opportunities for illicit collusion among consultants, contractors and individual owners, thereby promoting the healthy development of the construction industry as a whole.
(3) The Fire Services Department (FSD) introduced the Pilot Scheme on the Internet of Things Fire Detection System (IoT FDS) at the end of 2025 with the objective of enhancing fire safety standards in old buildings. At present, the IoT FDS is being installed in ten old buildings of six storeys or less across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. This allows the buildings concerned to be exempted from the installation of fire service equipment such as fire hose reels, fire water tanks, and water pumps, further assisting owners of the target buildings to comply with Fire Safety Directions in a more convenient and safe manner.
The IoT FDS offers real-time monitoring and rapid transmission of fire alarm signals. Upon detection of a fire, the system will instantly alert the Fire Services Communications Centre to handle the incident, enabling the prompt dispatch of fire appliances at the incipient stage of a fire, even in circumstances where no report has yet been made by the public. Moreover, the IoT FDS incorporates a system status monitoring function. If an individual detector malfunctions, the system will instantly transmit a signal to notify the FSD and the service provider to initiate follow-up actions. In addition, the system collects fire-related data to support the FSD's application of big data analytics in assessing relevant risk factors.
The FSD is conducting ongoing evaluations of the effectiveness of the Pilot Scheme. The first phase of assessment is expected for completion in the second quarter of 2026. Subject to satisfactory results, consideration will be given to extending the IoT FDS to all relevant buildings.
In parallel, the FSD actively promotes the use of standalone fire detectors to strengthen warning during the incipient stage of a fire and self-rescue capabilities among the public. In recent years, the market has seen the introduction of smart standalone fire detectors with interconnectivity functions, enabling integration with home surveillance cameras and smartphone applications. When the detector emits a fire alarm signal, users will not only receive instant alert notification but can also view live footage of the home's actual conditions via remote monitoring, thereby facilitating rapid assessment of the fire situation and enabling the most appropriate response. The FSD will continue to promote smart fire safety equipment to the public through short videos on social media and community seminars.
With regard to the application of Building Information Modelling (BIM), the FSD is fully aligned with the Government's initiative to promote the wider adoption of BIM within the construction industry. The department is examining the development of a dedicated BIM platform to leverage functions such as automated checking for reviewing fire service installations and equipment in building plans, thereby improving the efficiency of the approval process.
The FSD will also examine the feasibility of integrating BIM databases with IoT devices to enable real-time monitoring of fire services systems. Research efforts on related technologies will continue to strengthen fire prevention measures and evacuation design in buildings.
(4) Following the fire at Wang Fuk Court, the Government immediately established the Task Force on Strengthening Fire Safety Governance to implement both immediate measures and medium-to-long-term initiatives in inspection and enforcement, technology application, publicity and education, with the aim of enhancing fire safety standards.
For inspection and enforcement, the FSD's dedicated inspection team completed the first phase of inspections on fire service installations and equipment (FSIs) in 256 buildings undergoing major repair works on January 13 this year. In addition, since its establishment in December last year, the FSD's round-the-clock Quick Response Team has been deployed 183 times to conduct immediate on-site inspections and enforcement of FSIs at fire scenes. Furthermore, the FSD has launched a two-month operation to inspect the fire alarm systems of approximately 1 500 higher-risk buildings.
For technology application, the FSD will continue to closely monitor the latest trends in advanced fire service equipment and will, in a timely manner, introduce technologies that are proven to be mature and safe, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of firefighting and rescue operations.
For publicity and education, the FSD will continue to promote basic fire safety knowledge to the public through various channels, including newspaper interviews, press releases, short videos, and a wide range of activities. The FSD also provides additional basic fire safety training to members of the public and appoints them as FSD Community Emergency Responders. Furthermore, under the Community Emergency Responder Scheme, the FSD has newly established the Building Emergency Responders which provides specialised training for property management personnel, representatives of OCs, and residents on building fire safety, such as the correct usage, management, and maintenance responsibilities of FSIs, as well as key considerations when conducting fire inspections. These Building Emergency Responders can assist in identifying potential safety hazards within housing estates, participate in fire safety inspections, and report risks to the FSD or PMCs. Besides, at the district level, the Government has strengthened the role of the 18 District Fire Safety Committees in fire prevention promotion, publicity, inspections and co-ordination.
(5) Section 20 of the BMO stipulates that an OC must establish and maintain a general fund to cover the expenses incurred in exercising its powers or performing its duties under the BMO and the deed of mutual covenant, as well as the day-to-day general expenses of the building. In addition, an OC may also set up a contingency fund to meet emergency needs or shortfalls in the general fund. The amount to be contributed by owners to these two funds is determined in accordance with the needs of the building by the owners.
As more buildings age, ensuring their structural safety requires repair works of varying scales. To alleviate the financial pressure on owners when handling repairs, there have been suggestions in the community to establish a mandatory repair reserve fund, enabling advance financial preparation for future repairs. Since this proposal involves matters related to building maintenance and repairs, the affordability and willingness of owners, etc, the relevant Government departments will conduct research and gather views from stakeholders.
(6) On November 28, 2025, following the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, the Government established an Inter-departmental Fire Investigation Task Force led by the FSD. The task force is investigating both the cause of the fire and the reasons for its spread, reviewing all relevant evidence and making full use of available technologies to assist in the investigation.
(7) The Government maintains an open attitude towards the use of technology to enhance the monitoring of building material standards or the tracking of building materials. Taking scaffolding nets as an example, the BD issued a Practice Note on December 19, 2025 to ensure that protective materials overlaid on external wall scaffolding meet fire retardant performance standards. The Practice Note requires Registered Contractors to adopt reliable systems (such as QR codes, Near Field Communication (NFC) devices, or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology) to facilitate the verification and tracking of material batches. In accordance with the requirements of the Practice Note, the Construction Industry Council previously provided a special arrangement for collective procurement of fire-retardant protective nets and utilised blockchain technology to ensure the transparency of the procurement process. From order placement, reporting of production progress, laboratory testing, and logistics delivery to the signing of receipt, the system records data from every key juncture to the blockchain. This forms a clear and immutable audit trail to prevent future alteration or falsification, setting a good example for the industry. As the materials involved in construction works are diverse, the BD will adopt a risk-based approach, and review which other types of building materials under the existing mechanism require enhanced regulation over material standards or tracking.
Separately, the BMO sets out clear requirements for the retention of documents. The Building Management (Amendment) Ordinance 2024, which came into effect in July 2025, further introduces criminal liability for failure to properly keep books of account, minutes of meetings, tender documents, and instruments of proxy. As for the format of document retention, it may be decided by the management committee of the OC.
Ends/Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Issued at HKT 18:20
Issued at HKT 18:20
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