Hong Kong lawmaker urges support for elderly owners under new漏水 investigation rules
New procedures for investigating漏水 in private buildings, effective July, have received over 9,000 cases. Lawmaker Kwok Foo-yung says the process speeds up repairs but urges authorities to assist elderly owners who may struggle with compliance, including fines of HK$17,000.
A Hong Kong lawmaker has called for greater support for elderly property owners under new procedures for investigating漏水 in private buildings, which took effect in July and have already handled more than 9,000 cases.
Kwok Foo-yung, a Legislative Council member representing the New Territories South West constituency, raised oral questions in the legislature about the implementation of the new process. In an interview with RTHK's programme 'Yardstick of Governance', she said residents have a strong demand for resolving漏水 issues, and the new rules have accelerated the handling of complaints.
Under the updated procedures, the漏水 investigation unit can issue a 'recommended repair notice' to an upstairs owner within as little as 14 days of receiving a report. If the owner fails to comply within 28 days, they may be liable for a review fee of HK$17,000.
Kwok noted that this sum is not small and serves as a deterrent, but some owners—particularly elderly people—are not deliberately delaying repairs. Instead, they may not know how to cooperate with the process. She urged the authorities to handle such cases with leniency and provide support, such as organising talks on how to address漏水 problems.