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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。
PrintMandatory Window Inspection Scheme
Mandatory Window Inspection Scheme
In 2012 the Hong Kong Government also introduced the Mandatory Window Inspection Scheme (MWIS) to tackle the specific problem of window disrepair.
It would be fair to say that most windows in a building or estate are the private property of the individual owners of units in that building or estate. Therefore, the Government issues notices to all owners (i.e. the owners of individual flats and the owners’ corporation) of a building or estate under the MWIS.
Under the MWIS:
1. Every year the Government selects buildings that are at least 10 years old (except domestic buildings not exceeding three storeys) and issues statutory notices to the owners of the buildings, requiring them to appoint a Qualified Person to carry out certain prescribed inspections within 6 months from the date of the statutory notice.
2. If the Qualified Person finds that windows in the building have been rendered dangerous or are liable to become dangerous, i.e., a prescribed repair is required, the owners concerned must appoint a Registered General Building Contractor or a Registered Minor Works Contractor (who has registered for the minor works in respect of windows) to carry out the prescribed repair under the supervision of the Qualified Person.
3. Upon completion of the inspection and repair works, the Qualified Person must submit a certificate in the specified form to the Building Department for record and audit check.
4. If the owners or owners’ corporation fails to comply with the statutory notice for window inspection without a reasonable excuse, they may be served with a penalty notice of a fixed fine of $1,500. Failure to comply with the penalty notice may lead to prosecution, with the owner or owners’ corporation subject to a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for three months, plus a fine of $2,000 for each day the offence continues.
5. After a notice (the preceding notice) has been complied with, the owner or the incorporated owner will not receive another notice in respect of the same window within 5 years.