Property owner fined over $60,000 for not complying with removal order
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The case involved a door opening formed in the staircase enclosure wall at the cockloft of a composite building on Wo Tai Street, Fanling. As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO.
Failing to comply with the removal order, the owner had been prosecuted by the BD two times and was fined a cumulative total of $24,515 upon convictions by the court. As the owner persisted in not complying with the removal order, he was prosecuted for the third time.
A spokesman for the BD said today (April 29), "UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement action against owners who fail to comply with removal orders, including instigation of prosecution, to ensure building and public safety."
Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year's imprisonment, and a further fine of up to $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.
Ends/Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Issued at HKT 11:00
Issued at HKT 11:00
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