In April 2023, the New Territories West Regional Joint Office (JO) received a water seepage complaint from a flat for sale under the Tenants Purchase Scheme in Tuen Mun.
The JO staff visited the complainant’s flat for investigation and found that the moisture content of the seepage area at the ceiling was over 35%, indicating that there was water seepage. The JO staff thus visited the flat upstairs for investigation but received no response. Subsequently, the JO staff visited the flat upstairs again and successfully contacted the occupant who, however, was not cooperative. The JO staff promptly and patiently explained to the occupant the responsibilities of owners and occupants, the workflow of the JO as well as neighbourhood relationship, etc. After listening to the patient and detailed explanation by the JO staff, the occupant eventually allowed the JO staff to enter the flat for conducting Stage II investigation.
Shortly after the conclusion of Stage II investigation, the occupant of the flat upstairs even took the initiative to contact the JO staff and said that repair works had been carried out in the flat. When reviewing the test results, the JO staff also found that repair works had been carried out in the flat upstairs. While Stage II Investigation results showed that there was water seepage, Stage III professional investigation results and the complainant’s reply afterwards both suggested that water seepage had ceased.
Although the occupant of the flat upstairs was not cooperative at the beginning, he/she realised that resolving water seepage problems was the responsibility of the building owners and occupants; and doing so could maintain a harmonious neighborhood relationship after the explanation given by the JO staff. Subsequently, the source of seepage was properly fixed.
In the end, both the complainant and the occupant of the flat upstairs expressed their gratitude to us. It was truly encouraging to us that we managed to help the public successfully resolve the water seepage problems.