The Property Management Services Authority (PMSA) announced today that since the property management licensing regime (licensing regime) just came into operation in August last year, over 5,000 licences for property management practitioners (PMPs) and companies (PMCs) had so far been issued, whereby formal PMP and PMC licences account for 58%, while provisional PMP licences account for 42%.
Under the licensing regime, all PMCs providing properties (subject to deeds of mutual covenant) in Hong Kong with more than one category of prescribed property management (PM) services, as well as PMPs assuming managerial or supervisory role in such PMCs for providing PM services, must hold a valid PM licence starting from 1 August 2023 in order to continue to provide PM services in accordance with the Property Management Services Ordinance.
The PMSA Chairperson Mr Tony TSE said, “With the large number of PMCs and PMPs in Hong Kong, the applications for licence need to be staggered in order to be processed timely by the deadline of 31 July 2023. Therefore, PMCs and PMPs should apply for licence as early as possible. In addition, if owners’ organisations have engaged PMCs to provide PM services, they should communicate with the PMCs concerned early and encourage them to submit their licence applications to the PMSA as soon as possible or commit to a clear schedule for submitting their applications.”
Chairperson TSE added, “If the contract period with the PMCs already engaged by the owners’ organisations go beyond 1 August 2023, it is important for the owners’ organisations to ensure that the PMCs hold a valid PMC licence before the aforementioned deadline so that they could continue to provide PM services after the deadline. When tendering for PM services in future, owners’ organisations should consider stipulating that PMCs holding a valid licence should be a prerequisite to submit tender.”
Members of the public may download the PMSA’s register of licensees to check information about the licensed PMCs and PMPs through the link below:
https://www.pmsa.org.hk/en/licensing-regime/registers-of-licensees/
The PMSA had issued an appeal letter earlier to invite PMCs which have not yet been licensed to initiate the PMC licence application process as soon as possible, and to submit applications for PMP licence in respect of PMPs in their companies with managerial / supervisory responsibilities. The PMSA had also offered to assign dedicated licensing officers for providing tailor-made services to PMCs which commence the application process within 2021-22 so as to stagger the licence applications in order to complete the application / licensing process before 1 August 2023.
PMPs who do not meet the relevant criteria for academic and/or professional qualifications but possess the specified work experience may apply for provisional licence during the three-year transitional period under the licensing regime (which runs from 1 August 2020 to 31 July 2023) and attend the PMSA Specified Courses designated for the licensing regime. Upon successful completion of the Specified Courses within the validity of the provisional licence, they may apply for formal PMP licence without fulfilling the academic and/or professional qualifications required.
Ends/Monday, 8 November 2021
Issued at HKT 14:00
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