Hong Kong to exclude integrity offenders from renovation contractor lists

Hong Kong will exclude building maintenance consultants and contractors prosecuted or convicted of integrity-related offences in the past three years from pre-qualified lists used for renovation projects, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said on Tuesday. The lists are intended for owners undertaking building renovation work. They will cover three categories: inspection consultants, supervision consultants and building works contractors.

According to Linn, applications to join the lists will open next Wednesday. The available source material says the application period will close, but does not specify the closing date. The planned exclusion applies to firms with the specified prosecution or conviction history.

The source does not provide details of the integrity offences, the length of any exclusion beyond the three-year look-back period, or the process for challenging a decision. Linn’s comments set out an eligibility condition for the pre-qualified lists as the government prepares to accept applications. No further information was provided in the source material about the number of firms that could be affected or how owners currently select renovation contractors.