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Author Archives: hksar gov

Property owner fined $130,000 for persistently not complying with removal order

     A property owner was convicted and fined $130,000 at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on June 11 for persistently failing to comply with a removal order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (Cap 123) (BO).
 
     The order involved a rooftop structure of about 45 square metres in size on a domestic building at Braemar Hill Road, Hong Kong. As the structure was erected without prior approval from the Buildings Department (BD), contravening the BO, a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO.
 
     Failing to comply with the order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD in 2007 and 2013, and was fined $5,000 and $40,000 respectively upon conviction at Eastern Magistrates’ Courts. However, the owner persisted in not complying with the order and the BD instigated prosecution against the owner for the third time. The owner was convicted again and heavily fined $130,000 this month.
 
     “Unauthorised building works may adversely affect the structural and fire safety of a building, leading to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without further delay. The BD will continue taking enforcement action against owners who have failed to comply with removal orders (including instigation of prosecution) so as to achieve a deterrent effect,” a spokesman for the BD said today (June 23).
 
     Pursuant to section 40(1BA) of the BO, any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with an order served on him or her under section 24(1) of the BO commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for one year, as well as a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence has continued. read more

East Asia

Rent payment for public housing tenants and temporary measure to withhold issuance of departmental Notice-to-Quit

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:

     The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (June 23) announced that tenants (including licencees) who live in its public rental units and pay normal rent or reduced rent under the Rent Assistance Scheme (RAS) will not be required to pay rent for the month of July 2020. The measure is not applicable to tenants who are required to pay additional rent.
 
    The Financial Secretary introduced a series of counter-cyclical measures in the 2020-21 Budget announced on February 26, 2020, which included, among other things, paying one month’s rent for lower income tenants living in the public rental units of the HA. The Legislative Council passed the Appropriation Bill 2020 on May 14. About 760 000 HA tenants will benefit from the measure.
 
     “The Government will pay the rent for July 2020 for HA tenants and licencees paying normal rent or reduced rent under the RAS. The HA will notify all tenants and licencees of the arrangement,” a spokesman for the HA said.

    In addition, in view of the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, if tenants face short-term financial difficulties with rent in arrears, they could submit applications to the HA for withholding the issuance of a Notice-to-Quit. If the applications are approved, the HA will temporarily withhold the issuance of the Notice to the concerned tenants from May to October 2020. read more

East Asia