Older buildings 'need subsidies in rat race'

Ayra Wang

The chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Property Services Agents, Poon Kin-leung, has called on SAR administration to subsidize professional rodent control services for three-nil residential buildings to establish a rodent-free environment.

This comes in response to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department's launch of an anti-rodent charter for residential and commercial units on December 31, which mandates participating premises to appoint anti-rodent liaison ambassadors.

Poon yesterday described the financial challenges faced by older and three-nil buildings - those that don't have owners' corporations, residents' organizations or management companies - in affording professional rodent control due to limited budgets.

"Rodent infestation has long been a concern for property management, especially in older neighborhoods with poor hygiene conditions," he said, adding that food sources, hiding places, and pathways are the three essential survival conditions for rodents, which the initiative aims to eliminate.

In its Tuesday announcement, FEHD said buildings must hire anti-rodent contractors for regular inspections, repairs and to ensure proper cleaning and waste removal.

They are also required to oversee the quality of the contractors' work and maintain records while promoting good hygiene practices among residents.

The administration will provide free technical support, including seminars, award charter certificates and stickers to participants, and publish a list of participants on a dedicated web page.

The FEHD will invite property management companies, owners' corporations, residents' organizations, the Housing Society, transitional housing, subsidized sales flats and Tenants Purchase Scheme estates to join the charter.

Poon believes these incentives are insufficient and urged the administration to offer "more realistic" support.

"Rodent control is complex, as rats are intelligent and have a strong reproductive capacity," he said, suggesting budget-strapped buildings be provided subsidies or government-hired anti-rodent contractors.

He acknowledged that hiring rodent control contractors may increase management costs, but it is a worthwhile investment to maintain community hygiene.