Wang Fuk Court residents call for owners’ meeting amid petition validity dispute

Residents of Wang Fuk Court have petitioned for an owners’ meeting to address issues arising from the recent fire, including insurance compensation, but concerns over the validity of signatures have led authorities to refer the matter to law enforcement agencies.

The petition, submitted to the estate’s property manager, Hop On Management Company, called for an urgent meeting of owners to clarify compensation arrangements and other follow-up matters. However, the management company said the information provided by residents did not meet statutory requirements and that no meeting would be arranged at this stage.

In response to media inquiries, the Home Affairs Department said it had received complaints from some owners who questioned the verification mechanism of the petition. They expressed concerns that the process might involve impersonation of owners or false signatures, as well as potential misuse or unauthorized use of personal data.

The department said it has referred the complaints to relevant law enforcement bodies and statutory organizations for investigation and follow-up.

According to the department, an owner first emailed Hop On on March 15, stating that concerns from Wang Fuk Court owners had been collected through an online form, but no further details were provided at the time. A follow-up email was sent on March 22 with additional information.

After seeking legal advice, Hop On concluded that the materials submitted did not comply with the statutory requirements for convening an owners’ meeting.

The department added that Hop On has announced plans to hold a briefing session in early May to update residents on relevant matters. The session will be scheduled to avoid clashes with arrangements for residents to return to their flats or attend hearings of an independent committee.

However, a resident involved in the petition said that, after removing invalid entries, 428 signatures had been collected. Based on the estate’s 1,984 units, this would represent more than 20 percent of owners, exceeding the legal threshold required to request a meeting.

Under the Building Management Ordinance, if at least 5 percent of owners submit a written request, the chairman of the management committee must convene an owners’ meeting within 14 days of receiving the request, and the meeting must be held within 45 days.

The Home Affairs Department said Hop On would handle the matter in accordance with the ordinance.