The Hong Kong government has applied to dissolve the management committee of the owners’ corporation of Wang Fuk Court after a deadly fire killed at least 160 people at the housing estate in Tai Po.
Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on December 10, 2025. Photo: Kelly Ho/HKFP.The application was submitted to the Lands Tribunal in accordance with Section 33 of the Building Management Ordinance, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak announced on Friday.
The government has proposed appointing Hop On Management Company Limited, a firm under Chinachem Group, to assist homeowners with post-fire recovery.
This is the first time Hong Kong authorities have invoked this legislation to directly intervene in the management of an owners’ corporation.
The move comes a day after the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) reportedly arrested the current and former chairs of the Wang Fuk Court owners’ corporation.
Mak said on Friday that the current management of Wang Fuk Court faces “unprecedented challenges,” particularly regarding follow-up work for its HK$330 million renovation project.
The existing committee, which consists of 15 homeowners, may lack the power to protect the interests of residents when facing complicated issues relating to construction contracts, bookkeeping, insurance compensation, and other areas.
See also: Tai Po fire timeline: Wang Fuk Court’s HK$330 million renovation, ignored warnings and aftermath
“It is not something that a regular owners’ corporation management committee can handle,” Mak said in Cantonese.
The committee members are not only personally affected by the fatal blaze but also are under “immense pressure,” as they simultaneously manage the needs of their own families, she added.
Furthermore, coordinating residents who have been relocated to various temporary housing facilities across the city would be challenging, Mak said.
Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak. File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.Hop On Management Company has pledged to waive all administrative fees if the Lands Tribunal approves its appointment as the interim administrator.
The Chinachem Charitable Foundation has also promised a HK$5 million donation to the committee to fund the hiring of lawyers, accountants, and other professionals required for recovery efforts.
Mak said that Wang Fuk Court homeowners would still retain their decision-making and voting power. If appointed, Hop On Management would submit a monthly report to the government and a quarterly report to the Lands Tribunal to ensure the transparency and efficiency of its work.
Wang Fuk Court, a government-subsidised housing estate in Tai Po, was undergoing large-scale renovations when a fire broke out on November 26, engulfing seven of its eight towers. Authorities believe substandard scaffolding netting and protective foam boards contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.
The entire HK$330 million renovation project – from inspection and tendering to construction – was overseen by the owners’ corporation committees.
On Tuesday, the current Wang Fuk owners’ corporation announced it would postpone the first committee meeting since the deadly blaze, citing a capacity issue at the government-owned venue.
The committee said at the time that it was in communication with government departments to arrange a new venue, without saying when the meeting might be held.
By early December, the ICAC confirmed it had arrested 12 people on suspicion of corruption linked to the renovation project, including directors of the consultancy and construction firms. Some of these suspects were among the 15 individuals previously arrested by police for alleged manslaughter and fraud.
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