In November 2024, the Kowloon Regional Joint Office (JO) received a water seepage complaint from a private housing estate in To Kwa Wan. The complainant said that there was severe water seepage on the ceilings of the bathroom, living room and bedroom of his/her flat, which caused damage to the walls and worsened his/her living environment. Since the problem persisted, the complainant’s mother, who was nearly 90 years old, had to temporarily stay at an elderly home to avoid inconvenience. The complainant had also argued with the occupant upstairs over the problem of water seepage but the issue had not been properly solved.
Upon receiving the complaint, the JO staff promptly visited the affected premises for inspection and found signs of extensive and severe water seepage on multiple ceilings and walls of the flat. The staff immediately visited the flat upstairs to investigate the source of seepage. At first, their entry was denied by the owner. After the JO staff demonstrated the professional coordination skills and thoroughly explained the investigation procedure and the legal basis, the owner became cooperative and allowed them to carry out tests as soon as possible.
During Stage III investigation, the JO staff found defects at the waterproofing of the floor slab of the bathroom upstairs. A Nuisance Notice (the Notice) was then issued to the owner upstairs under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), requiring the abatement of nuisance within the specified time by carrying out repair works .
The complainant wrote in to commend the JO staff for their efforts and effectiveness of work. Not only had the owner upstairs repaired the waterproofing in compliance with the Notice, but he/she had also taken the initiative to engage a contractor to repair the parts of the complainant’s flat affected by water seepage. The complainant said that it was the patience and the professionalism of the JO staff that had facilitated the change in attitude of the owner upstairs, making him/her cooperate willingly and assume the responsibility proactively. Eventually, the seepage problem was fully resolved and the complainant’s mother was able to return home and live safely. The complainant thanked the JO staff for having effectively addressed the seepage problem, rebuilt mutual trust in the community and dispelled his/her worries.