Law and building services maintenance in Hong Kong

Abstract

In Hong Kong, statutory requirements applicable to building services maintenance activities appear in a wide variety of ordinances and regulations, which can be confusing and may be misinterpreted or overlooked. This paper reviews the key statutory requirements, common problems with complying with the requirements, and the potential liabilities consequent upon non-compliance. To help focus the analysis, the statutory requirements were categorised with reference to the involved compliance procedures, and a process model was devised to represent the procedures under each category. Attention of individuals and firms responsible for maintenance work is drawn to their liability for damages that could arise due to negligent acts to show that maintenance work shall be conducted not simply to satisfy statutory requirements, but far beyond.