In the recently published sales brochures for 39 Conduit Road, the top floor of the 46-storey block of flats was referred to as the 88th floor.
I guess Henderson, the property developer, did this because flats on floors with higher and more auspicious numbers sell for a greater price.
However, I think this is completely unacceptable.
Yes, the property industry sometimes avoids using the unlucky Chinese number four and the unlucky Western number '13'. This move is understandable, given the strong Chinese belief in superstition. However, Henderson skipped floor numbers four, 13, 24, 34, 40 to 59, 62, 64, 65, 67, and 69 to 87, in the building.
In the face of widespread criticism, Henderson claimed they were giving people what they demand. I really doubt this.
The new guidelines issued to real estate developers, about what should and should not be shown in sales brochures, are most welcome. It's about time the government cracked down on unscrupulous developers.