HAD to adopt new initiatives in building management

The Home Affairs Department is adopting a multi-pronged approach in its efforts to enhance building management and raise public awareness of building management and safety.

These efforts include a series of new initiatives to be implemented in the short, medium and long term.

The Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Raymond Young, said that the short-term measures include joint operations in districts with a high concentration of "three nil" buildings to appeal to residents to comply with fire and building safety requirements and to promote fire and building safety, as well as expanding the Building Management Professional Advisory Services Scheme to assist owners of old buildings to improve property management. For medium- to long-term measures, the Government will put in place a regulatory framework for the property management industry to enhance professional standards, review the Building Management Ordinance and foster a culture of good building maintenance.

On regulation of the property management industry, Mr Young said it was proposed that a mandatory licensing system be introduced to regulate both property management companies and practitioners. The proposal was made after taking into account the views collected during public consultation.

He said, "There is a consensus in the community for a mandatory licensing system. Besides enhancing protection of the interests of owners, it will ensure the service quality of PMCs and practitioners, hence raising the professional standards of the industry."

Under the proposal, there would be a single universal licensing regime but companies providing only stand-alone services, such as those providing only security or cleaning services, would be excluded.
   
Mr. Young said that apart from the efforts to enhance professional standards of the property management industry, the Government will also actively strengthen support for owners of old buildings. In the coming three years, the HAD will expand the

Building Management Professional Advisory Service Scheme to provide free professional advice and follow-up services on building management to these owners to improve the management of their buildings.