A legislative proposal to create a statutory building maintenance fund in response to November’s deadly Wang Fuk Court fire is expected to be finalized by the end of this year, and according to former Legislative Council member Tony Tse Wai-chuen, the move has been widely welcomed by the city’s property and facilities management sector.
Industry groups told the media on Tuesday that the initiative can plug long-standing funding gaps in building maintenance, particularly for aging private housing blocks, and help align the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with national goals on improving the living environment.
Tse, who is also the founding president of the Hong Kong Greater Bay Area Property and Facilities Management Association (HKPMFA GBA), said at the event that the association has voiced firm support for the forthcoming bill, describing it as a “timely” step to strengthen housing safety and enhance urban livability.
The association, founded in August 2024 and now representing more than 180 cross-professional members, including many of the city’s leading property management firms, said a stable repair fund would give owners’ corporations and managers greater certainty in planning long-term maintenance projects, according to surveyor and executive committee member Maxine Yao Jie-ning.
Tse who represented the architectural, surveying, planning and landscape constituency in the city’s LegCo for more than ten years, said the proposed maintenance fund should be designed together with improvements in property management, rather than treated as a stand-alone financial tool.
Effective supervision of management companies, better use of technologies such as drones and smart sensors, and clearer performance standards are all crucial to ensure that public money and owners’ contributions are used efficiently, he added.
Yao said the association said it is ready to work with the government and legislators on detailed arrangements, including eligibility, governance, and transparency requirements for the fund.
Tse added that the association and professional circles within property management have previously submitted proposals to the Fire Services Department outlining amendments to the Fire Services Ordinance and enforcement against blocked escape routes.
He noted that the sector is deeply concerned about obstructions in public corridors and smoke protection doors being kept open, and believes management firms should both bear responsibility while also being given corresponding powers.
Tse raised questions such as whether managers should be authorized to remove objects blocking fire escapes and who should ultimately bear the removal costs, saying the industry hopes the government can spell out these issues more clearly in the legislation.
