Hong Kong to set up building maintenance support office with 90 staff
The Hong Kong government will establish a Building Maintenance Support and Services Office, initially hiring about 90 professionals and support staff. Development Secretary Ngan Han-ho said the office will enhance penalties, increase random checks, and consider a scoring system for contractors. A re
The Hong Kong government will set up a Building Maintenance Support and Services Office to help residents with building repairs, Development Secretary Ngan Han-ho said on a television programme on 8 November. The office will initially employ about 90 people, including professionals, technical support staff and administrative personnel.
Ngan said that for more complex projects, authorities may adopt a dual-envelope bidding system, which he believed would not push up prices. The government will strengthen penalties and increase random inspections, and may also introduce a scoring system for contractors. Random checks will be stepped up for critical work, including the strength of steel reinforcement and concrete.
The government will also conduct a comprehensive review of building maintenance subsidy schemes, with a target of completing the review by early next year. Ngan said authorities are considering requiring owners to draw up long-term building maintenance plans after major repairs, including regular upkeep and fund reserves, as a condition for receiving subsidies.
Separately, the government published eight subsidiary laws on the land-registration system. Land searches must now meet specified purposes, with nine designated purposes allowed. Ngan said the move was not a tightening of the system. For topics of public interest that concern the media, such as large-scale unauthorised structures, illegal occupation of government land, and whether officials have made proper declarations, searches can still be conducted under the new rules.