Two property co-owners fined over $10,000 for not complying with mandatory window inspection statutory notice

Two property co-owners fined over $10,000 for not complying with mandatory window inspection statutory notice

Two property co-owners of a premises in To Kwa Wan were fined over $10,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts in mid-August for failing to comply with a statutory notice issued under the Mandatory Window Inspection Scheme of the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).

The case related to a premises in a 48-year-old 16-storey composite building located at Chi Kiang Street. A statutory notice was issued under section 30C(4) of the BO, requiring the co-owners of the premises to appoint a qualified person to carry out an inspection and, if necessary, repairs of the windows in their premises.

Since the two property co-owners failed to comply with the statutory notice, they were prosecuted by the Buildings Department (BD) and were convicted and fined on August 13.

"Failing to comply with a statutory notice without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The BD may instigate prosecution proceedings against the owner", a spokesman of the BD said today (August 20).

Pursuant to section 40(1BD) of the BO, any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a statutory notice served on him or her, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 4 ($25,000 at present) and to imprisonment for three months, as well as a further fine of $2,000 for each day that the offence has continued.

Ends/Thursday, August 20, 2020