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South China Morning Post
19 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Should Hong Kong hit Redhill Peninsula homeowners with heavier fines for illegal works?
Hong Kong authorities should appeal against the 'light' penalties imposed on two property owners for erecting illegal structures at their luxury Redhill Peninsula homes, experts have said, warning that the fines are not hefty enough to deter offenders. The specialists weighed in after the two property owners were told to pay more than HK$110,000 (US$14,015) in total after admitting to carrying out unauthorised building works. Their convictions are the first among 30 prosecutions made against landlords of the estate in Tai Tam where rampant illegal structures were found. According to the Buildings Department, the two owners pleaded guilty to carrying out unauthorised building works at Eastern Court on Thursday, with one fined HK$30,000 and the other HK$82,980. Lawmaker Andrew Lam Siu-lo said the sentence, from the view of the public, failed to serve any deterrent effect given the widespread nature of unauthorised works at the estate, although no details had been released about the structures found at the two homes. 'This is not a good message sent to the public regarding the government's crackdown on illegal structures,' he said. 'It shows that no matter how severe the maximum penalty can be, in the end the sentence will be light.'
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
2 owners of luxury homes in Hong Kong fined HK$110,000 over illegal structures
Two owners of luxury homes at Redhill Peninsula have been fined more than HK$110,000 (US$14,015) in total after admitting to carrying out unauthorised building works, the first convictions among 30 prosecutions taken against the landlords of the estate on Hong Kong Island where rampant illegal structures were found. Advertisement A spokesman for the Buildings Department said on Friday evening the two owners pleaded guilty at Eastern Court to carrying out unauthorised building works on Thursday. They were convicted, with one fined HK$30,000 and the other HK$82,980 The maximum penalty for commencing or carrying out building works without first obtaining approval and consent from the department is a fine of HK$400,000 and two years' imprisonment, plus a further fine of HK$20,000 for each day that the illegal structure continues standing. The department revealed the two cases were the first convictions out of 30 prosecutions of owners at the estate in Tai Tam. The spokesman said the owners of the two detached houses concerned were found to have conducted building works without prior approval or consent from the department during a large-scale inspection in September 2023. Landslides triggered by a record-breaking downpour earlier that year had drawn attention to extensive illegal additions at the seaside community, ranging from swimming pools to basement on public slopes.
