HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) is pleased to see the passing of “Property Management Services Bill” (The Bill) by an overwhelming majority in the Legislative Council today. With the enactment of the licensing regime, property management companies and professionals will be required to meet with specified criteria, thereby raising professional standards of the industry as a whole. HKIS is looking forward to discussing with the to-be-established Property Management Services Authority (PMSA) on such subjects as formulation of regulatory guidelines and licensing criteria which would be commensurate with current professional standards.
The HKIS Property and Facility Management Division Chairman, Sr Prof Eddie Hui, commented, “We expect the quality of property management services will improve significantly as a result of the passing of this Bill. Property management companies will strive for raising their service standards, and so will the personnel of the industry, in compliance with the licensing requirements. Such effort will enhance corporate and professional image, while at the same time further guarantee safety of the general public. By and large, this helps the industry attain sustainable development goals in the long run.”
The Institute opines passing of the Bill is only a starting point. The industry will look forward to seeing how PMSA further establishes the licensing requirements within the new regulatory regime.
“We are concerned about the structure of the new PMSA. We strongly recommend that the forming of PMSA include one member from each of the related professional bodies, including the HKIS, whereby industry opinions can be delivered efficiently. The professionals are able to render expert opinion on, for instance, the formulation of rules of conduct, arbitration of disputes and complaints, and assessment of the quality of continual professional development.” said Sr Prof Hui.
About the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors
Established in 1984, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors is the only professional organization representing the surveying profession in Hong Kong. As of 2 February 2016, the number of members reached 9,411, of which 6,179 were corporate members. The Institute's work includes setting standards for professional services and performance, establishing codes of ethics, determining requirements for admission as professional surveyors, access and award the professional qualification, and advance members’ professional knowledge, technical and services standards through continuing professional development.
The Institute has an important consultative role in government policy making and on issues affecting the profession. We have advised the Government on issues such as unauthorized building works, building safety campaign, problems of property management, town planning and development strategies, construction quality and housing problems. We are working on amendments to standard forms of building contract and have issued guidance notes on floor area measurement methods.
For more details, please refer to HKIS website: http://www.hkis.org.hk