‘Obstinate’ Hong Kong building owners warned they will soon face legal action for failing to carry out required maintenance work
- Development chief Bernadette Linn fires latest warning shot a day after chunk of concrete fell off old building and hit a bus in Mong Kok
- She says Buildings Department will not wait until the end of this year to prosecute owners who ignore maintenance orders
Hong Kong’s development minister has warned that authorities will soon launch legal action against building owners who drag their feet on conducting compulsory maintenance work in light of recent incidents of falling concrete.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho fired the warning shot on Wednesday, a day after a chunk of concrete fell off a 57-year-old building and hit a bus in Mong Kok, the latest in a string of similar incidents in the city.
The government earlier said the Buildings Department would initiate prosecution proceedings against property owners who received maintenance orders but failed to deliver without a reasonable excuse by the end of the year.
“We hope to give owners a few months to follow up,” Linn said. “Of course, if some are obstinate or haven’t made an effort after repeated reminders … the department will not wait until the end of this year to prosecute them.”
Hours after Linn’s remarks, concrete chunks fell from a building in Yau Tong and hit two vehicles, breaking the rear window of one.
Owners of about 2,700 buildings aged 30 years or older have yet to comply with mandatory inspection orders on time, with 900 properties still to take the preliminary step of hiring a registered professional for a check-up.
Among the 900, 150 have taken part in repair subsidy schemes launched by the Urban Renewal Authority, a statutory body that tackles urban decay.