The Lands Tribunal on Tuesday rejected an application by Hop On Management, the government-appointed administrator of Wang Fuk Court, to postpone a special owners' general meeting.
The case came after at least 247 homeowners of the fire-ravaged estate requisitioned a special general meeting on April 29, requesting a venue that could accommodate 1,000 people for at least six hours.
Under the Building Management Ordinance, Hop On is required to issue a meeting notice within 14 days of receiving such a requisition and convene the meeting by June 13 at the latest.
Citing Wang Fuk Court’s special circumstances, the administrator said it was facing a tight timeframe to verify owners’ identities and signatures, secure a suitable venue, and prepare, review and serve the relevant notices. It filed an application seeking to postpone the statutory deadline.
Handing down his ruling on Tuesday afternoon, Deputy Judge Gary Lam Chin-ching said the Lands Tribunal had no jurisdiction to postpone the meeting, and dismissed Hop On’s application with no order as to costs.
Lam added that applying for a postponement before a meeting date had been set amounted to an attempt to avoid a possible breach. He urged the company to convene the meeting as requested.