Support to the Owners and Owners' Corporations

The Home Affairs Department (HAD) adopts a three-pronged approach to render support services to owners of private buildings by -

• establishing a legal framework for the formation and operation of owners' corporations (OCs);
   
• providing more effective advisory and support services; and
   
• organizing training programmes for members of OCs.



• Legal framework
 

The Building Management Ordinance (BMO) (Chapter 344) was enacted to facilitate the incorporation of owners of flats in buildings or groups of buildings, to provide for the management of buildings or groups of buildings and for matters incidental thereto or connected therewith. The BMO has been amended to tie in with the ongoing changes of the situation.

The Authority introduced the Building Management (Amendment) Bill 2005 (the Bill), with the draft Building Management (Third Party Risks Insurance) Regulation, into the Legislative Council in April 2005. The Bill aims to assist OCs in performing their duties and exercising their powers, safeguard the interests of property owners, and rationalize the appointment procedures of a management committee and its members. The Bill was approved by the Legislative Council on 25 April 2007 and became the Building Management (Amendment) Ordinance 2007. It commenced operation on 1 August 2007.
 

• More professional support for OCs
  The Home Affairs Department (HAD) set up the Building Management Division to coordinate building management matters. At the district level, District Building Management Liaison Teams (DBMLTs), comprising properly trained Liaison Officers, have been set up in the 18 District Offices to provide outreach support service to owners and OCs, assist owners to form OCs, attend OCs' meetings and give advice to owners on building management problems. DBMLTs will also assist law enforcement departments in enforcing building maintenance and fire safety improvement works, help resolve disputes between owners or between owners and OCs, and arrange the provision of voluntary professional mediation service, if there is a need.
 

• Training for members of OCs
  HAD and its 18 District Offices organize various educational activities, such as seminars, training courses, talks, visits, exhibitions and fire drills, etc., for owners in order to help them in discharging their responsibility for managing and maintaining their properties.
 

• Progress Indicators for 2010
  From April to June 2010, HAD staff have paid 7813 visits to OCs/Mutual Aid Committees/owners' committees and buildings without any form of management and organized 38 educational and publicity activities.