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香港多數市民都住在多層大廈，業主在買入大廈單位時，其實不單只是擁有該單位，同時也與大廈內其他單位業主，共同擁有大廈的公用地方。換句話說，每幢多層樓宇內的所有業主，都有責任管理和維修樓宇的公用部分。這一節「長者法網智多聲」，就為大家說說物業維修與安全。
大廈或屋苑業主，可以成立業主立案法團，合法代表所有業主管理大廈或屋苑。業主立案法團是一個要負上集體責任的法律實體，即是說，法團做了甚麼或沒有做甚麼，所有業主都要負責，但有了業主立案法團，也不代表業主毋須負責管理和維修樓宇的公用部分。
不知道老友記對添喜大廈有沒有印象呢？1994年，添喜大廈外牆石屎簷篷倒塌，造成一死七傷。法庭裁定添喜大廈的業主立案法團，要為事件負上部份責任，並且要支付巨額賠償。由於法團沒有購買足夠的第三者風險保險，法團被頒令清盤，而添喜大廈的每個業主，都要分擔賠償。添喜大廈事件，凸顯了為樓宇公用部分購買第三者風險保險有多重要。香港政府其後亦立例規定，所有業主立案法團，強制性要為樓宇的公用部份及法團財產，購買第三者風險保險，保單要為單一事故引起死傷而招致的法律責任，提供至少一千萬元的保險。如果法團沒有按法例購買保險或保單無效，管理委員會的每個委員，都要負上刑事責任。
日久失修的樓宇，不單對住戶構成危險，對公眾也造成威脅。為了處理這個問題，香港政府在2012年推出了強制驗樓和強制驗窗計劃，政府每年會揀選數千幢高樓齡的私人樓宇，規定業主或立案法團，找合資格的檢驗人員進行某些指定檢驗，有問題就要維修。完成之後，要向政府呈交檢驗報告和修葺完工報告。如果收到檢驗通知但沒有行動，業主或立案法團就要負上刑事責任，可以被罰款和監禁。
為了幫助有需要的業主應付維修開支，政府推出了「樓宇維修綜合支援計劃（綜合計劃）」，由市區重建局統一運作，提供不同形式的資助、貸款和津貼，協助業主維修。香港房屋協會亦提供特別為長者而設的津貼計劃。有需要的市民，可以聯絡房協或市建局了解詳情，長者社區法網文字版也概括地介紹各種支援計劃。
要住得舒服，樓宇安全當然很重要，定期檢查和維修大廈，大家都住得安樂了。這一節就說到這裡，多謝大家收聽。
PrintThird party insurance
Many Hong Kong citizens may have heard of the Court case involving the building Albert House. In 1994, a concrete canopy on the external wall of Albert House collapsed, killing one person and injuring seven. The Incorporated Owners of Albert House were found to be liable and had to pay substantial damages. Unfortunately, the Incorporated Owners were not covered by third party liability insurance. This eventually led to the winding-up of the Incorporated Owners, which meant that each individual owner of a flat in Albert House had to contribute to the damages according to his/her respective share in the building.
This case highlights the importance of third party insurance in relation to the maintenance of the common parts of buildings. The Hong Kong Government subsequently imposed a mandatory duty on all owners’ corporations to keep in force an insurance policy in respect of third party risks in relation to the common parts of the building and property of the corporation.
Under this mandatory scheme:
- An owners’ corporation “shall procure and keep in force in relation to the common parts of the building and the property of the corporation, such policy of insurance with an insurance company in respect of third party risks” (section 28(1) of the Building Management Ordinance (Chapter 344 of the Laws of Hong Kong));
- This policy “is required to insure the assured corporation in respect of any liability that may be incurred by the assured corporation in respect of the death of, or the bodily injury to, any person” (section 3 of the Building Management (Third Party Risks Insurance) Regulation (Chapter 344B of the Laws of Hong Kong));
- The policy must “provide insurance of not less than $10 million in respect of any prescribed liability that may be incurred in respect of the death, or the bodily injury, or both, arising out of one event” (section 4 of the Building Management (Third Party Risks Insurance) Regulation(Chapter 344B of the Laws of Hong Kong));
- If there is a failure to effect or maintain such insurance, every member of the management committee of an owners’ corporation is guilty of an offence unless he proves that “the offence was committed without his consent or connivance”, and that he had “exercised all such due diligence to prevent the commission of the offence as he ought to have exercised in the circumstances” (section 28(2) of the Building Management Ordinance (Chapter 344 of the Laws of Hong Kong)); and
- If there is a failure to effect or maintain such insurance, “every member of the management committee shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine”; the amount of which can be up to $50,000 (section 28(2) of the Building Management Ordinance (Chapter 344 of the Laws of Hong Kong)).
While the duty to obtain and maintain adequate insurance appears to lie only with the members of the management committee of an owners’ corporation, individual flat owners should be aware that they will, in the end, be liable as co-owners of the whole building or estate.