Daily Operation of Building Management
   
 

Loans and Subsidy Schemes for Building Owner

The Building Safety Loan Scheme

* The Building Safety Loan Scheme (the Scheme), launched in July 2001, is administered by the Director of Buildings. The purpose of the Scheme is to provide loans to individual owners of all types of private buildings (including domestic, composite, commercial and industrial buildings) who may wish to obtain financial assistance in carrying out works for improving the safety of their buildings or private slopes.
   
* The amount of the loan shall be determined by the Director of Buildings and shall not exceed the total cost of the works, as apportioned among the number of owners who contribute towards the improvement project, subject to a ceiling of $1m per unit of accommodation for building-cum-fire safety improvement works (inclusive of lift and minor slope maintenance works etc).
   
* Works to be covered by the Scheme include -

a. improvement of the structural aspects of buildings;
   
b. improvement of the safety of external elevations or fire safety of buildings;
   
c. provision of, improvement to and maintenance of the fire service installations and equipment of buildings;
   
d. removal of unauthorized building works and illegal rooftop structures;
   
e. improvement of building and sanitary services;
   
f. maintenance or improvement of the safety of slopes and retaining walls;
   
g. improvement of building and fire safety of cubicles;
   
h. maintenance works in association with the above works and any incidental or consequential works.
   
* Pamphlets and application forms on the Scheme can be obtained from District Offices of Home Affairs Department or can be downloaded from Buildings Department website;
   
* For details, please call the Building Safety Loan Scheme Secretariat at 2626 1579.

Building Management and Maintenance Incentive Schemes

* The Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) provides one-stop professional advice and assistance to owners of private buildings to properly manage and maintain their buildings. Two incentive schemes have been launched to encourage owners to manage and maintain their buildings.
   
* Building Management Incentive Scheme : A subsidy of not exceeding HK$3,000 to owners for the formation of owners' corporations.
   
* Building Maintenance Incentive Scheme : to subsidize owners' corporations with 20% of the total repair costs or HK$3,000 per flat, whichever is the lower, for repair works on the common areas of buildings related to safety, hygiene and environmental protection.

On completion of repair works under the Building Maintenance Incentive Scheme, a subsidy on 50% of the premiums for public liability insurance for the common areas of buildings will be offered to owners' corporations for the first 3 years, subject to a ceiling of HK$6,000 per annum. Applications for subsidy on insurance should be made within 12 months on completion of the repair and maintenance works under the Scheme.

For details , please call the hotline at 3188 1188.

   
* The HKHS also provides the Home Renovation Loan Scheme to encourage owners to carry out renovation to their flats for the improvement of safety and environmental hygiene .

For details, please visit the HKHS website or call the hotline at 2839 7166.
   
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To encourage residents to display correct building numbers to locate a building, the HKHS will supply free building number plaque to eligible owners’ corporation / owners for their own installation at the building entrance.

Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Elderly Owners

* The Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Elderly Owners (the Scheme), launched by Development Bureau in May 2008, is administered by HKHS. The purpose of the Scheme is to provide financial assistance to elderly owner-occupiers in need.
   
* Eligible elderly owner-occupiers aged 60 or above living in self-owned property may apply for a grant to cover the maintenance costs in relation to building safety of the common parts of their buildings or their flats. Applicants should meet the specified income and asset requirements. A simple declaration-based means test will be conducted. The maximum grant per applicant or per unit over a period of five years is $40,000.
   
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Eligible elderly owner-occupiers may also apply for grants under the Scheme to repay outstanding building maintenance loans provided by the Buildings Department, HKHS or Urban Renewal Authority.
   
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For details of the Scheme, please visit HKHS's website or call the hotline at 2839 7166.

Building Rehabilitation Schemes

* The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) provides the Building Rehabilitation Loan Scheme and the Building Rehabilitation Materials Incentive Scheme to assist owners to carry out rehabilitation and renovation works in the common areas of buildings.
   
* Building Rehabilitation Loan Scheme : the maximum loan amount is HK$100,000, or individual property's shared cost of works to the common areas of the whole building plus, as approved by the URA, the cost of repair and maintenance works to the interior of the property which is carried out in association with the works to the common areas of the whole building, whichever is the lower.
   
* Building Rehabilitation Materials Incentive Scheme : at the early stage of projects when professional consultants are not yet engaged, the URA will provide free technical support such as technical advice on project implementation, building inspection, tendering, etc. relating to building rehabilitation works. Incentive materials include external/internal wall paint; drainage piping materials and water-proofing materials for re-roofing works.
The value of rehabilitation materials shall not exceed 20% of the total cost of the works or HK$3,000 per unit, whichever is the lower.
   
* On completion of the works the two rehabilitation schemes above, the owners' corporations can apply for from the URA a subsidy for public liability insurance for three consecutive years.  The amount of subsidy is 50% of the annual insurance premium or $6,000, whichever the lower.  The application must be submitted within 12 months after the works completion.
   
* For details, please visit the URA website or call the hotline at 2588 2333.