Community Care Fund enhances subsidy for Owners' Corporations of old buildings

The following is issued on behalf of the Community Care Fund Secretariat:

The Community Care Fund (CCF) rolled out an assistance programme in October, 2012, to provide a subsidy for owners' corporations (OCs) of old buildings. On the consideration that the programme has effectively alleviated the burden of the OCs of old buildings on essential expenses and helped them comply with relevant legislative requirements, the CCF today (October 1) implemented the programme with enhancements so as to strengthen support for better building management, safeguard the safety of residents and the public as well as encourage more owners of old buildings to form OCs.

Two new subsidy items are introduced to the enhanced programme, namely (1) expanding the scope of subsidy for third party risks insurance to cover expenses on public liability insurance; and (2) subsidising the expenses for inspection of lifts, with a view to improving building management. The scope of the designated items under the enhanced programme is also suggested to be aligned with other building maintenance financial assistance schemes to avoid duplication of resources.

The Home Affairs Department (HAD) will continue to implement the enhanced programme. Each eligible OC may apply for the subsidy on an accountable basis in respect of the designated items carried out and/or expended during the three-year implementation period. The CCF will subsidise up to 50 per cent of the actual expenses for each designated item, and each eligible OC can apply for a maximum amount of $20,000 subsidy.

The designated items eligible for subsidy under the enhanced programme are registration or filing fees at the Land Registry; procurement fees for public liability insurance and third party risks insurance for the public areas of buildings; expenses for regular inspection of fire services and electrical equipment; expenses for inspection of lifts and expenses for clearing fire escapes once a year.

The target beneficiaries should be the OCs of residential or composite buildings aged 30 years or above. The average rateable value of the residential units of buildings in the urban areas (including Sha Tin, Kwai Tsing and Tsuen Wan) should not exceed $120,000, while those in the New Territories should not exceed $92,000.

The HAD has initially identified the OCs meeting the criteria and will invite them by mail for applications. Those OCs which do not receive written notification from the HAD within this month but consider themselves meeting the criteria may request the HAD for a review.

The guide and application form for the programme are available at Public Enquiry Service Centres of the District Offices or can be downloaded from the HAD's dedicated website on building management.

For enquiries, please call 2835 2500 or email to bm_enq@had.gov.hk.

Ends/Thursday, October 1, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:00