G. Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Elderly Owners
In order to offer financial assistance to elderly owner-occupiers to repair and maintain their self-occupied flats and common areas, and to maintain building safety, the Government introduced the Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Elderly Owners (BMGS). The BMGS provides a maximum grant of $40,000 for each eligible elderly owner-occupier.
Eligibility
The basic criteria for the BMGS are as follows:
- The applicant must be a holder of a valid Hong Kong Identity Card and aged 60 or above;
- The applicant must be the owner of a residential flat in a private domestic building or composite building;
- The applicant and his/her spouse (if married) must be residing in the subject property; and
- The applicant must fall within the following income and asset limits (or be receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance or Old Age Living Allowance):
|
|
Monthly Income Limit |
Asset Limit |
|
Singleton |
$7,340 |
$420,000 |
|
Couple |
$11,830 |
$636,000 |
Use of the Grant
The Grant can be used not only for building safety related to maintenance works in the building’s common areas, but also in the applicant’s residential flat. Common examples include:
- Improvements to structural aspects of the building: e.g. repair to loose, cracked, spalled or otherwise defective concrete;
- Improvements related to the safety of the external elevations of the building: e.g. repair to defective rendering or mosaic tiles;
- Repair or replacement of defective windows;
- Removal of unauthorized building works or illegal rooftop structures;
- Repair, maintenance or replacement of lifts, fire services installations and equipment, electrical wiring, gas risers, defective waste pipes, soil pipes, rainwater pipes, fresh water pipes, vent pipes or underground drainage; or
- Repair of waterproofing membranes on rooftops and flat roofs, or works to alleviate water seepage problems.
Applicants can also use the Grant to repay their outstanding loan with the Government in relation to building maintenance (e.g. the Common Area Repair Works Interest-free Loan or the Home Renovation Interest-free Loan), and/or de-register the relevant legal charge/charging order.