The Government launched an administrative reporting scheme for UBWs in New Territories Exempted Houses in 2012, and the reporting period ended in December 2012. Owners are required to conduct safety checks on the reported UBWs every five years.
The Development Bureau put forward proposals to amend the Buildings Ordinance in December 2024, which included rationalising the policy on handling UBWs. In response to the views of villagers and Legislative Council members, and after thorough consideration of the views collected during public consultation, the Government has decided to relaunch the Reporting Scheme to allow owners who at that time did not report their UBWs to do so.
The Reporting Scheme generally adopts the previous arrangements and is only applicable to UBWs that were completed before June 28, 2011 and were not included in the first round targets, and for which no enforcement action had been commenced by the BD before this date. Technically competent persons or registered professional engineers, who are appointed by the owners must submit their reports via the electronic platform on the BD's website and pay an administrative fee of $600.
Owners who had successfully participated in the Reporting Scheme in 2012 are not required to submit reports again. However, they still have to continue to conduct safety checks of the reported UBWs every five years, and submit safety certificates and pay administrative fees to the BD at the appropriate time.
11 Existing UBWs Eligible for Reporting
Remarks: Except green and amenity facilities
Re-launch of Reporting Scheme for UBWs in NTEH
Flow Chart (Eligibility, forms and procedures)
- Appoint qualified personnel (technically competent person of grade T2 (TCP-T2) or above/Registered Structural Engineer (RSE)/Registered Professional Engineer (RPE) as appropriate)
- Read carefully the Requirements for Safety Inspection (Guidelines GL01 RRS (Chinese only)) and sign the Owner's Declaration
- Qualified personnel (TCP-T2 or above/RSE/RPE as appropriate)
- Read carefully the Requirements for Safety Inspection (Guidelines GL01 RRS (Chinese only))
- Ensure that the UBWs were completed before 28 June 2011 and fall within the categories eligible for reporting, and that no enforcement action was commenced by BD against the UBWs before 28 June 2011
- Collect the Owner's Declaration (Annex II to Guidelines GL01 RRS (Chinese only)) from the owner
- Collect the Qualified Personnel's Safety Certification (Annex III to Guidelines GL01 RRS (Chinese only)) from other qualified personnel (Registered Structural Engineer or Registered Professional Engineer in the discipline of Civil/Structural/Building)
- Provide photos showing the current state and the plans of the reported UBWs (Form VH01)
- Provide certification of qualifications
- Provide photo evidence (orthophotos/aerial photos/other historical photos) of the reported UBWs to prove that they were completed before 28 June 2011 (relevant orthophotos/aerial photos are available on "GeoInfo Map" or "Hong Kong Map Service 2.0" of the Lands Department)
- Provide structural analysis and safety assessment reports (if applicable)
- Provide the owner's letter of authorisation (sample letter of authorization (Chinese only) for reference only) (if applicable)
Link to Electronic Reporting Form BD0002
Link to payment of administrative fee
Please note that for reported UBWs under the Reporting Scheme, owners are required to appoint qualified personnel (TCP-T2/RSE/RPE as appropriate) to conduct safety inspection and certification of the structures concerned every 5 years.