The government has proposed raising the threshold for in-person attendance and voting by property owners when deciding on large-scale renovation projects or major expenditures in housing estates, as part of planned amendments to the Building Management Ordinance aimed at better protecting owners’ interests.
Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen said the proposal was prompted by cases in which consultancy firms involved in renovation projects sought to increase costs by recommending works that go beyond the Buildings Department’s requirements.
Responding to concerns from some owners’ corporations that higher thresholds could make meetings harder to convene, Mak said property owners should take a more active role in managing their estates, given the value of the assets they hold.
She said owners should not wait until disputes over management fees or maintenance costs arise — often leading to calls for government intervention — before becoming involved in estate affairs. Instead, she said the administration hopes the new measures will encourage more consistent and proactive participation by owners.
The government also plans to amend the law to improve the proxy appointment system. Proposed changes include setting a cap on proxy votes for resolutions on estate maintenance and increasing transparency in how proxy forms are signed.
Mak said the government was open to discussing whether these measures should be “strengthened,” including requiring a witness when a proxy form is signed or mandating that the form specify both the meeting agenda and the proxy’s voting intentions.
The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau has also proposed extending the declaration of interests system to engineering consultancy firms. Mak said there is currently no mandatory requirement for such firms to disclose their relationships or business dealings with engineering companies, making it difficult for owners to assess potential conflicts of interest.
Under the proposal, owners would be able to better understand the background of consultancy firms involved in estate projects. The authorities are also exploring administrative measures to penalize firms that refuse to make such declarations.
