The Property Management Services Authority (PMSA) today issued an appeal letter to invite property management companies (PMCs) which have not yet been licenced to initiate the licence application process as soon as possible in response to and in support of the implementation of the property management licensing regime (licensing regime).
The PMSA Chairperson Mr Tony TSE said, “With the large number of PMCs and property management practitioners (PMPs) in Hong Kong, the applications for licence need to be staggered in order to avoid handling a large volume of applications within a short time frame thereby minimizing the risk of causing delay in the application process. To ensure PMCs and PMPs hold a valid licence from 1 August 2023 onwards so that they could continue to provide property management services in accordance with the statutory requirements stipulated in the Property Management Services Ordinance (the Ordinance), the PMSA has offered to assign dedicated licensing officers for providing tailor-made services to PMCs which commence the application process within 2021-22 so as to expedite the procedure.”
PMCs will be able to obtain the following dedicated services by working with their respective PMSA dedicated licensing officers:
- A flexible application process which meets the individual needs of the PMCs in order to streamline the administration work and shorten vetting time;
- The PMCs may excercise the option of submitting and processing applications in bulk for PMP licence in respect of PMPs in the companies with managerial / supervisory respobsibilites;
- If the PMCs have provided PMSA Specified Course to those provisional licensees in the companies through corporate class arrangement, the PMCs may choose to submit and process in bulk the applications for formal PMP licence in respect of their staff members who have completed the Specified Courses. The dedicated licensing officer may also link the PMCs with any of the course providers appointed by the PMSA if the PMCs would wish to arrange corporate class for their staff members so as to smoothen the process; and
- The PMCs may directly contact the dedicated licensing officers who will provide timely response to resolve various issues, especially technical issues or those concerning information / documents which may arise during the application process.
The property managment licensing regime came into operation on 1 August last year. 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 services, as well as PMPs assuming managerial or supervisory role in such PMCs for providing property management services, must hold a valid property management licence starting from 1 August 2023 in order to continue to provide property management services in accordance with the Ordinance.
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/Tuesday, 19 October 2021
Issued at HKT 14:30
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