Letters | Hong Kong’s ageing buildings need better care under stronger rules
Readers call on the government to revamp the city’s governance of building management and repair, and rethink its approach to teenagers’ social media use
One big challenge is how to tackle the mounting safety risks in our ageing building stock, and the institutional weaknesses that prevent timely repair and proper management.
According to figures disclosed by the Buildings Department in 2023, around 7,000 old buildings had received Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme (MBIS) notices, and roughly 60 per cent had yet to complete inspections or related repairs at that time. Some have since commenced works, but a substantial number remain seriously delayed. This is not just a matter of slow progress – it exposes a deeper systemic failure to ensure essential maintenance is carried out before risks escalate.
Three issues in particular demand the incoming Legislative Council’s attention.
First, the execution bottlenecks in the scheme must be tackled by using data, fostering transparency and setting clear milestones. Government should regularly publish building-level statistics on inspection and repair status, with a risk-based classification, and commit to measurable timelines and performance indicators.