The government-appointed administrator of the fire-hit Wang Fuk Court has said it is “confident” that an owners’ meeting can be held next month, after missing a deadline for the meeting two weeks ago. Wang Fuk Court seen in the distance on April 20, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. Hop On Management said in a Friday statement that it will focus on preparing for the meeting after deciding it will not seek an appeal against a Lands Tribunal decision denying the firm’s bid to extend the statutory deadline for an owners’ meeting.
“Hop On will instead focus its resources on advancing the preparations for the Owners’ Meeting and is confident that the meeting can be successfully held within July,” it said.
On November 26, 2025, a blaze engulfed seven residential towers at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, killing 168 people and displacing thousands. An independent committee chaired by Justice David Lok was set up to examine what caused the fire.
After receiving a petition from Wang Fuk Court homeowners in late April, Hop On Management originally had to call a meeting by May 13 and hold it by June 13.
The firm said it was still seeking a venue that would accommodate at least 1,000 people and would be available for six consecutive hours on a Saturday or Sunday. “Various options are being explored to ensure the meeting can proceed smoothly,” the firm said.
Owners push for meeting
At the tribunal earlier this month, Hop On’s lawyers said that the firm had faced challenges in verifying owner signatures needed to proceed, as well as trouble finding venues.
The firm said on Friday: “Given the special circumstances of Wang Fuk Court, Hop On still needs to address a number of arrangements in preparing for the Owners’ Meeting, including the method of delivery of meeting notices, collection points for proxy forms, and related verification procedures.” Hectar Pun (left), counsel for government-appointed administrator Hop On Management, leaves the Lands Tribunal on June 1, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. On April 29, Hop On, which is a subsidiary of real estate giant Chinachem Group, received a petition with 247 handwritten signatures asking the firm to meet with flat owners to discuss long-term resettlement and related financial matters.
The total number of signatures supporting the petition exceeded the 5 per cent threshold needed to convene a meeting stipulated by the Building Management Ordinance. According to the ordinance, the management committee should issue notice of the meeting within 14 days and hold the general meeting with owners within 45 days.
On Friday, it confirmed it had verified the required number of signatures. Buyout not addressed
Hop On said that the upcoming meeting would not address individual owners’ preferences as to whether they intend to sell their flats to the government in a special buyout scheme.
“Individual owners’ private property rights – including whether to sell their ownership – do not involve the control, management, or administration of the common parts or the building as a whole, and therefore will not be addressed at the Owners’ Meeting,” it said.
“Hop On will continue to fully advance the preparatory work for the Owners’ Meeting and will
report the latest progress to all owners in due course,” it said.
Delivering its ruling earlier this month, the tribunal said Hop On should “convene and hold the meeting as requested as soon as possible.” Postponing the deadline would affect homeowners’ rights to have a meeting, it said.
Wang Chi House
Separately on Friday, it was was announced that Wang Chi House, the only building at the fire-hit estate left untouched by the blaze, will also be included in the government buyout scheme after more than three quarters of owners agreed to sell their flats. Residents at Wang Chi House, the only block unaffected by the deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court, were allowed 90 minutes to retrieve personal belongings from their flats on December 3, 2025. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. A total of 193 owners, amounting to 77.8 per cent, signed letters of acceptance to sell their flats to the government, according to a Friday statement. The “strong consensus” means the buyout will also extend to Wang Chi House.
Under the buyout scheme, owners will be able to purchase a new home on the private market or move to a subsidised estate, either through cash or a flat-exchange exercise.
To accommodate demand from Wang Chi House residents, an extra 496 subsidised units will be made available for sale on top of the 3,900 currently reserved for owners at the estate. The extra units located at the Pak Wo Road project in Fanling and the Anderson Road Quarry Site project in Kwun Tong.
Acquiring the Wang Chi House flats will cost HK$1 billion, on top of the HK$4 billion earmarked for the other seven towers.
Those who agree to the buyout will have to sign and submit a letter of acceptance to the government. Those who do so before June 30 will be given special priority to choose another flat offered by the government, while the deadline for expressing interest has been set for August 31.
If the final number of purchasing agreements does not meet the three-quarters threshold, the government “reserves the right” to roll back the buyout scheme for Wang Chi House.