The licensing regime for property management industry came into operation on 1 August 2020. The General Code of Conduct (Code) issued by the Property Management Services Authority (PMSA) is gazetted today, pursuant to Section 5(1) of the Property Management Services Ordinance (PMSO), with a view to effectively regulate the licensed property management companies and practitioners from commiting disciplinary offence in contravention of any condition imposed on the licence.
The PMSA has taken into consideration public concerns about property management services in drafting the Code, which provides general practical guidances to enhance the professionalism of the industry to provide property management services. The PMSA has also consulted the industry on the drafting of the Code.
Although a licensed property management company or practitioner will not incur any legal liability merely because they have contravened a provison of the Code, the Code is admissible in evidence in relevant legal proceedings or disciplinary hearings, and the proof as to whether a licensee contravened or did not contravene the relevant provison of the Code could be used to determine the matter in dispute in such proceedings and hearings. The PMSA appeals to property management companies and practitoners to take active steps to comply with the Code.
Apart from the Code, the PMSA is going to issue other codes of conduct and best practice guides covering various property management areas, including:
- Handling complaints about provision of property management services;
- Exercising effective control over property management business;
- Handling money received for clients;
- Handling emergencies;
- Obligations after the appointment of a property management company is terminated;
- Managing scaffolding works to be carried out at a property;
- Provision of relevant financial documents to clients;
- Carrying out procurement for clients, etc.
For details regarding the Code, please refer to the following PMSA webpage:
https://www.pmsahk.org.hk/en/regulatory/coc/gcoc.html
Ends/Friday, 7 August 2020
Issued at HKT 19:00
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