Tai Po fire: 96.5% of Wang Fuk Court homeowners agree to gov’t buyback scheme as 70 remain undecided
More than 96 per cent of homeowners at the fire-hit Wang Fuk Court have agreed to sell their flats to the government under an official buyback scheme that is due to expire next Monday, a senior official has said. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho said on Friday that, as of Thursday, 1,914 of the estate’s […]
At least 96.5 percent of the homeowners at the fire-damaged Wang Fuk Court estate have agreed to sell their properties to the government under an official buyback scheme, with just 70 owners remaining undecided as the deadline of Monday approaches. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho urged the remaining owners to sign and return the letter of acceptance before the deadline, which is set for 5 pm on Monday.
The government announced the buyback scheme in February, following a devastating fire on November 26 last year at the estate that killed 168 people and displaced thousands. The government has set the prices for the flats at either HK$8,000 or HK$10,500 per square foot, depending on whether the homeowner has paid land premiums. More than 1,900 of the 1,984 owners have accepted the offer, with 1,526 of them having also signed the formal sale and purchase agreement.
The government will use a computerized lottery to determine the order of selection for homeowners who want to swap their flats for new government-subsidized units, starting from the end of September.
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