Raising PM professionalism The newly established Property Management Service Authority will regulate the provision of property management services and promote the enhancement, development and standards for property management in Hong Kong. Prudence Lui Photo: SCMP/May Tse A property s value can be directly affected by whether or not it has excellent management. 4 SURVEYORS TIMES MARCH 2017
封面故事 PMPs need training so that they can reinforce their various levels of professional knowledge and experience with continuous professional development. Sr Tony Tse Wai-chuen Past President of the HKIS; Chairperson of the Property Management Service Authority Sr Dick Kwok Ngok-chung Senior Vice-President of the HKIS; Senior Director of Savills Property Management Limited Sr Prof Eddie Hui Chairman of Property & Facility Management Division of the HKIS; Professor of the Department of Building and Real Estate at Hong Kong Polytechnic University According to Sr Dick Kwok Ngok-chung, Senior Vice-President of the HKIS and Senior Director of Savills Property Management Limited, the property management (PM) services sector was perceived as one without any standard entry requirements, while this may give the profession an unprofessional image. The enactment of the Property Management Service Ordinance and the establishment of the Property Management Service Authority (PMSA) in May 2016 will certainly enhance the professionalism of the industry and practitioners. With society s growing concern for building safety and asset management in recent years, expectations and requirements for PM professionalism increased because a property s value could be directly affected by whether or not it had excellent management, Kwok says. This prompted the government to step up regulations and later introduce legislation, crafting a professional path for both property management companies (PMCs) and property management practitioners (PMPs). Sr Prof Eddie Hui, Chairman of Property & Facility Management Division of the HKIS and Professor of the Department of Building and Real Estate at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, says that prior to the advent of the PMSA there was a lack of regulation in relation to PM. An absence of industry supervision and complaints from the Independent Commission Against Corruption pushed the government to take action. It undertook a year-long consultation, seeking the views of industry professionals and academics, before the final Property Management Services Bill was passed by LegCo in May 2016. As an independent statutory authority, the PMSA is responsible for regulating the provision of PM services through a licensing regime. It also promotes the integrity of PMCs and PMPs, and works to enhance the status of the profession. Our major tasks include drawing up licensing requirements and codes of conduct, and the assessment of qualifications, says Sr Tony Tse Wai-chuen, Chairperson of the PMSA and Past President of the HKIS. The Authority will consult and consider the views of the industry and other stakeholders during the process. The PMSA is comprised of 20 members appointed for a period of three years by the Chief Executive, five of whom are engaged in PM services (Category I Persons) and four who have experience in the field (Category II Persons). The rest are members of the public, including Director of Home Affairs and Director of Housing or respective representative, one LegCo member, and one district council member. As a result of the Authority s establishment, one of the key implications for the PM industry is the mandatory licensing regime. This involves setting out a minimum qualification requirement for PMCs and PMPs. The rationale behind this regime is to raise professional standards and promote the maintenance of building safety. From the practitioners perspective, Kwok believes that with rules and guidelines set, there will be clearer parameters to follow and expectations to meet. However, consideration must be taken of several issues, he says. These include what standard should be used to meet the benchmark, the total cost incurred throughout the licensing process, and the different demands and job descriptions for a two-tier PMP licensing regime encompassing manager and officer grades. For PMC licences, there are concerns such as the ratio of directors bearing practitioner s licences in order to secure a company licence. Tse emphasises that the licence requirement is not intended to fail practitioners or cost them their MARCH 2017 SURVEYORS TIMES 5
Leveraging on regular exchanges in the city, in China and overseas, Hong Kong can be a role model for urbanisation. jobs. There will be a three-year transitional period. We ll find ways to help them attain the qualification once the parameters and standards are set in the near future, he says. For instance, there will be a grandfather arrangement for more senior and experienced practitioners. For those experienced hands at management level who don t have a high qualification, the government has pointed to a way of keeping the procedure simple, like writing a report detailing one s experience for assessment or attending top-up classes. Requirements will take care of current practitioners as we will duly consider the views of the PM services industry and relevant stakeholders before putting the pertinent regulations to LegCo. Apart from its regulatory role, the PMSA also aims to drive manpower development in the industry and attract new blood. The training part has not started yet but will come after the licensing stage, Hui says. Practitioners need training so that they can reinforce their various levels of experience and knowledge with continuous professional development. For qualified people in the industry, they can revise what they have already learned and pick up new information at the same time. For current students or those who plan to join the industry, they may have to sit an examination to obtain certain qualification, so we may cooperate and connect with various academic institutes that offer PM subjects. The PMSA held its first meeting on 21 February 2017 following the government appointments announced on 1 December 2016. Issues were discussed relating to its functions and operations, rules of procedures, the mechanism for declaration of interests, the setting up of five Standing Committees, and its work plan. The next step for members is to join a maximum of three Standing Committees in order to share their views, Tse says. Once set, we can proceed to the first meeting in April 2017, ideally with a schedule of monthly meetings. As the licensing fees and application fees are still uncertain at this stage, it is hoped that within this year there will be a subsidiary law on fees, i.e. income generated from the fixed levy around HK$350 to be imposed on each conveyance on sales chargeable with stamp duty. There are approximately 70,000 property sale transactions per year, so approximately HK$20 million will be generated. The PMSA will not only create higher standards and recognition for the PM industry, but will also benefit society. Property is regarded as a very precious asset, so a good management system can help facilitate the development of comfortable living environments and drive asset values up. The Authority will drive higher standards, up-topar service levels and even more transparency of information provided by service providers, Tse says. Moreover, it will be good news to practitioners as disputes with owners and tenants can be minimised when owners know what is expected of operators for example, the level of service and how transparent things should be in terms of information flow and spending. In the long run, my vision is to export our expertise beyond Hong Kong, to China and areas along the Belt and Road. Kwok praised the city s professional PM development as being ahead of many countries. This, he says, may be due to the requirements of the densely-built urban landscape and the high concentration of population. All these tough demands on building forced us to think out of the box and do a lot of planning in order to enhance the various functions of the city to the highest level. Leveraging on regular exchanges in the city, in China and overseas, Hong Kong can be a role model for urbanisation and act as a knowledge management hub, he says. We have established our professional image over the last decade. Today, many people still lack an understanding of PM and don t know what we do. This is perhaps due to the lack of a standard entry level in the past, but things have changed since then. A lot of new staff in the industry are university graduates. The article is published courtesy of Classified Post. 6 SURVEYORS TIMES MARCH 2017
封面故事 物業管理從業員需要接受培訓, 持續專業發展, 加強各方面的專業知識及經驗 提升物業管理的專業水平 政府新成立物業管理業監管局, 旨在加強規管及推廣提升香港物業管理行業的發展及服務水平 Prudence Lui 香港測量師學會高級副會長及第一太平戴維斯物業管理有限公司資深董事郭岳忠測量師表示, 物業管理專業在過住都被外間認為是缺乏統一標準入行門檻的行業, 行業或因而蒙上不專業的形象 政府在 2016 年 5 月通過 物業管理服務條例 和成立物業管理業監管局 ( 監管局 ), 冀能令整個行業及從業員的專業化全面提升 社會人士近年對樓宇安全及資產管理關注日深 是否有優良的物業管理直接影響資產的價值, 坊間對物業管理的專業性亦因此有更高的期望和要求 影響所及, 政府加強規管並制訂法例, 提升物業管理公司及物業管理人的專業性 香港測量師學會物業設施管理組主席及香港理工大學建築及房地產學系許智文教授測量師指, 香港在成立監管局之前並無關於物業管理的規例 行業本身欠缺監管, 加上廉政公署多次投訴, 最後促使政府採取行動 政府經過一年諮詢, 尋求業內人士及學者意見後, 立法會最終在 2016 年 5 月通過 物業管理服務條例草案 作為獨立的法定機構, 監管局透過發牌制度監管物業管理服務, 並推動物業管理公司和物業管理人行事持正, 提高行業的專業性 監管局主席兼香港測量師學會前會長謝偉銓測量師說 : 我們的主要工作包括制訂發牌條件和專業守則, 以及進行資格審核 監管局在過程中會諮詢和考慮各界及其他持份者的意見 行政長官委任 20 人出任監管局成員, 任期三年, 其中五人從事物業管理服務 ( 第 I 類人士 ), 四人具備物業管理經驗 ( 第 II 類人士 ) 其餘成員為公眾人士, 民政事務總署署長及房屋署署長或其代表 一位立法會議員, 以及一位區議員 成立監管局對物業管理業影響深遠, 其中包括對業界實施強制發牌制度, 訂立物業管理公司及物業管理人的發牌資格 強制發牌制度旨在提升業界的專業水平及宣揚樓宇安全 郭岳忠測量師認為, 制定專業守則和作業指引後, 從業員將有較清晰的標準及目標可依 他說 : 當中存在多項要考慮的因素, 包括如何釐訂標準水平 發牌過程涉及的成本, 以及二級制物業管理人 ( 分經理級和職員級 ) 發牌制度下的不同要求及職責 至於物業管理公司發牌制度方面, 有意見提到公司最少要有多少名董事持有物業管理人牌照, 才能獲發公司牌照 謝偉銓測量師強調, 發牌制度並非為剝奪現有從業員的資格或令他們失業 從業員將會有三年的過渡期 待有關準則及標準在不久將來訂定後, 我們會設法協助他們取得資格 舉例來說, 較資深的從業員可揀選 免受新計劃限制的安排 政府為學歷不高的管理級資深從業員制訂簡化程序, 讓他們撰寫報告, 詳述個人經驗, 以作為評估之用, 或參加銜接課程 發牌制度會顧及現時的從業員, 我們將妥善考慮物業管理業及相關持份者的意見, 然後才向立法會提交相關規例 監管局除擔當監管角色外, 亦致力培訓物業管理業人才, 吸引新人入行 許智文教授測量師說 : 在完成發牌階段後, 我們會開始培訓人才 從業員需要接受培訓, 持續專業發展, 加強各方面的經驗及知識 符合資格的業內人士亦可藉此溫故知新 正在修讀物業管理課程的學生或有意入行的人士或需參加考試, 以取得相關資格 因此, 我們可能會與開辦物業管理學科的學術機構合作及聯系 圖片提供 : Shutterstock 監管局透過發牌制度監管物業管理公司和物業管理人, 並推動物業管理業行事持正, 提高行業的專業性 政府在 2016 年 12 月 1 日宣佈委任監管局成員 監管局隨後於 2017 年 2 月 21 日舉行首次會議, 討論該局的職能及運作 議事規則 申報利益機制 設立五個常設委員會, 以及其工作計劃等 謝偉銓測量師指 : 成員稍後可加入最多三個常設委員 常設委員會最早將於 2017 年 4 月舉行首次會議, 屆時希望能 MARCH 2017 SURVEYORS TIMES 7
與香港情況最相近的是東京或紐約繁忙的市中心, 本港的核心商業區在周末及平日晚上依然繁忙, 香港可透過在本地 中國內地及海外舉辦的定期交流活動地下空間有助紓緩交通擠塞, 樹立城市化的典範 夠訂定每月開會的時間表 我們目前尚未釐定發牌及申請費用, 希望能在今年內制訂有關費用的附屬法例, 即向每份售賣轉易契徵收定額徵款 ( 擬定為約港幣 350 元 ), 有關轉易契是可予徵收印花稅的 以每年約有七萬宗物業銷售交易計, 可帶來約港幣二千萬的徵款 監管局不僅提高了物業管理業的水平和認受性, 亦為社會帶來正面影響 物業是貴重資產, 良好的管理制度有助改善生活環境, 同時增加資產價值 謝偉銓測量師說 : 監管局將提升行業的服務水平, 增加服務供應商的資訊透明度 此外, 業主若了解供應商應有的服務質素 ( 例如服務水平 資訊流通和開支透明度 ), 有助減少業主與租戶之間的紛爭, 對從業員來說亦是好事 長遠而言, 我個人希望在香港以外的地區推廣我們的專業知識, 包括中國內地和一帶一路沿線地區 郭岳忠測量師讚揚香港的專業物業管理發展領先許多國家 他認為這或可歸因香港城市發展密度高且人口稠密兩個因素 他說 : 受到這些局限, 迫使我們打破陳規, 用心規劃, 將城市的各項功能提升至最高水平 香港可透過在本地 中國內地及海外舉辦的定期交流活動, 樹立城市化的典範, 發揮知識管理樞紐的作用 我們在過往十年建立了專業形象 時至今日, 許多人依然不了解物業管理, 不了解我們的工作, 這也許是因為過去缺乏標準的入行門檻 時移勢易, 很多新入行的員工都是大學畢業生 本文由 Classified Post 撰文 8 SURVEYORS TIMES MARCH 2017