{
  "id": 17340709,
  "title": "Buildings-repair body 'to operate on user-pays basis'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/buildings-repair-body-to-operate-on-user-pays-basis",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-31T04:21:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "RTHK English",
    "slug": "rthk-english",
    "url": "https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1876034-20261031.htm"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Building Maintenance Support and Services Council will operate on a non-profit basis but will need to recover costs through a user-pays system, according to Financial Secretary Paul Chan. The council will assist property owners with the entire process of building repairs, including tendering and evaluation, for a fee. Chan emphasized that the owners are responsible for maintaining their private residential properties and that the council must recover costs accordingly. The fees will depend on the scope of the work, likely costing several thousand dollars per flat. Chan noted that Hong Kong has many old districts with some buildings in poor condition, and many elderly residents may struggle to afford the fees. The government plans to provide subsidies in these areas, but a one-size-fits-all approach would not be suitable, as better-off owners value professional guidance more than cash assistance. A pre-screened list of professionals and contractors will be published for owners to choose from, providing a greater sense of security. The government has allocated HK$300 million for the plan, including HK$100 million for start-up costs and HK$200 million to subsidize owners. The new council is set to begin operations by the end of the year, with recruitment for a chief executive already underway.",
  "summary": "The new Building Maintenance Support and Services Council will operate on a non-profit basis but must recover costs on a user-pays basis, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said on Saturday, as the government moves to set it up in response to the independent committee report on the Wang Fuk Court fire. The council will guide owners through the full cycle of building repairs – handling tendering and…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}