A new public body is due to begin services in January 2027, offering owners help with building-repair tenders, bid evaluations and monitoring consultants and contractors. The Building Maintenance Support and Services Council is part of reforms announced after the Wang Fuk Court fire and an independent commission report. The government says it plans to assign inspection consultants from January and begin tendering for owners’ projects in the first quarter.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn said the Council is expected to recruit about 90 staff, including professional and technical workers, with appointments phased in from early to mid-2027. The Urban Renewal Authority’s existing tendering platform provides a way to invite bids, she said, but does not help owners evaluate tenders or monitor consultants and contractors once they are working on a project. The Authority currently has about 270 people working on building-maintenance-related matters.
Before repairs begin, the Council is expected to assign building-inspection consultants and check whether their work is adequate. The Buildings Department, as statutory regulator, would conduct spot checks and review inspection reports in person; Linn said consultants could also be asked to provide video footage as evidence of their inspections.
During construction, contractors are expected to submit progress reports every six months, and the Buildings Department is expected to carry out at least one unannounced site inspection in each six-month period. The Council is also intended to monitor contractors and engineering consultants, giving owners a point of contact for questions about progress.
Separately, the government is considering making long-term maintenance plans and regular savings a condition of major-repair grants for owners of buildings aged 40 to 50. Linn said details of the possible grant conditions were expected in the first half of 2027.