Tag Archives: China

     The Water Supplies Department (WSD) announced that a landlord of a subdivided flat in Kwun Tong, Kowloon, was convicted today (December 17) of overcharging its subdivided unit (SDU) tenants for water, in contravention of regulation 47 of the Waterworks Regulations. The owner pleaded guilty to 14 counts of offences at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts.

     This is the 24th similar conviction since the first conviction in June 2022, with associated fines ranging from $1,000 to $22,000.

     A spokesman for the WSD said that the Waterworks (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 (the amended WWO) has strengthened the power of the Water Authority in evidence collection and information disclosure during the investigation of suspected cases of overcharging for water. The Water Authority can request the landlords, their agents, etc, to provide the tenancy agreement, receipt or payment record for charges for water. Failure to comply with such a request can be an offence and the offender is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $10,000 and a further fine of up to $1,000 for each day the offence continues. It is anticipated that there will be more prosecution cases. The maximum penalty for overcharging SDU tenants for water has been raised to $25,000 to deter this illegal act. Moreover, providing false or misleading information to the Water Authority is also an offence with a maximum penalty of a $25,000 fine and six months’ imprisonment.  

     The WSD spokesman strongly appealed to landlords to apply for the installation of separate water meters for their SDUs, which can greatly reduce the risk of contravening the amended WWO. The water fee deposit and the charge for providing a meter for each separate water meter installed under the Scheme for Installation of Separate Water Meters for Subdivided Units will be waived. Individual water bills will be provided for each water meter account. The first 12 cubic metres of water are free at four-month intervals. SDU tenants can contact the WSD to request separate water meters. Upon receiving such requests, the WSD will contact the landlords for the installation of separate meters. If the landlords refuse, the WSD may require them to provide information on the recovery of water charges from their tenants in suspected overcharging cases. Details of the scheme can be obtained from the WSD website (www.wsd.gov.hk/en/customer-services/application-for-water-supply/pilot-scheme-for-installation-of-separate-water-me/index.html).

     The WSD encourages the public to report any illegal act of overcharging SDU tenants for water for follow-up and investigation by the department. The public can call the WSD Hotline 3468 4963 or WhatsApp 5665 5517 to apply for the installation of separate water meters for SDUs. The WhatsApp hotline also handles matters relating to water overcharging in SDUs. Alternatively, the public can call the WSD Customer Enquiry Hotline 2824 5000 to report water overcharge cases. After calling the hotline and choosing a language, they can press “7” for reporting to staff directly. read more

     A man who went missing in Mong Kok has been located.      Leung Kam-sun, aged 65, went missing after he was last seen in a hostel on Ka Shin Street on December 6 afternoon. His social worker made a report to Police on December 13.   … read more

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 is 107.1 (up 0.2 against yesterday’s index). read more

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, will lead a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government delegation to Macao on December 19 and 20 to attend the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Macao’s Return to the Motherland and the Inauguration Ceremony of the Sixth-term Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region.
      
     Members of the HKSAR Government delegation include the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai; and the Director of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Carol Yip.
      
     Mr Lee will return to Hong Kong on December 20. During his absence, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will be the Acting Chief Executive. read more

     The Buildings Department approved 11 building plans in October, with two on Hong Kong Island, three in Kowloon and six in the New Territories.

     Of the approved plans, three were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, three were for commercial developments, two were for factory and industrial developments, and three were for community services developments.

     In the same month, consent was given for works to start on 11 building projects which, when completed, will provide 10 280 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use involving 160 units, and 82 316 sq m of gross floor area for non-domestic use. The department has received notification of commencement of superstructure works for five building projects.

     The department also issued 14 occupation permits, with two on Hong Kong Island, five in Kowloon and seven in the New Territories.

     Of the buildings certified for occupation, the gross floor area for domestic use was 207 034 sq m involving 3 715 units, and 37 190 sq m was for non-domestic use.

     The declared cost of new buildings completed in October totalled about $21.3 billion.

     In addition, four demolition consents were issued.

     The department received 2 603 reports about unauthorised building works (UBWs) in October and issued 809 removal orders on UBWs.

     The full version of the Monthly Digest for October can be viewed on the Buildings Department’s homepage (www.bd.gov.hk). read more