Joint Office for investigation of reports on water seepage in buildings alerts public to fraudulent letters

     The Joint Office (JO) for investigation of reports on water seepage in buildings set up by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Buildings Department has recently received public enquiries as to whether the JO had issued letters informing them that an outsourced consultant named "Lee's Construction Engineering Company Limited" (translation) had been appointed to carry out investigation in their premises.
      
     A spokesman for the JO today (June 18) clarified that the above named company is not an outsourced consultant of the JO, and the cases have already been referred to the Police for investigation. The spokesman reminded members of the public to stay vigilant.
      
     The spokesman for the JO stated that water seepage investigation will generally be conducted in three stages. Staff of the JO will visit the premises concerned to carry out Stage I and II investigations. If the source of water seepage could not be identified, the JO will in the Stage III investigation arrange for an outsourced consultant to carry out investigation and tests. The JO will issue a letter to inform the occupants of the premises concerned in advance of such an arrangement and provide the names and contact telephone numbers of the staff of the JO and the consultant responsible for the case and a sample of the consultant's staff card. The consultant's staff visiting the premises concerned should bring along their staff cards for identification and verification by the public. The staff cards are issued by the JO and the contact telephone numbers of the JO and the consultant are shown on the staff card to enable the public to make enquiries.
      
     The JO reminded the public that if they have any doubt regarding the authenticity of the JO's letters or the identity of the consultant's staff, they can contact the JO at 3691 8479 (Hong Kong), 3156 1942 (Kowloon), 3104 2571 (New Territories East) and 2382 5682 (New Territories West).