Property owner fined over $70,000 for not complying with removal order

     A property owner was fined $77,800 for failing to comply with a removal order under the Buildings Ordinance (Cap 123) (BO) at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts last week.

     The order involved several illegal structures at a shop on the ground floor of a composite building at Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. The illegal structures are around 35 square metres in size altogether. As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were erected without prior approval from the Buildings Department (BD), contravening the BO, a removal order was served on the owner of the premises under section 24(1) of the BO.

     As the owner failed to remove the UBWs upon the expiry of the removal order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD and convicted on July 17.

     "UBWs may adversely affect the structural and fire safety of a building, leading to serious consequences. Owners should seek professional advice before carrying out any building works in their premises," a spokesman for the BD said today (July 24).

     Pursuant to section 40(1BA) of the BO, any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with an order served on him under section 24(1) of the BO, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of $200,000 and to imprisonment for one year, as well as a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence has continued.