Water Seepage

1. What are the common causes of water seepage?

   Common causes of water seepage :

   1. leakage in the drainage pipes of the upper, adjacent or your own flat
   2. leakage in the water supply pipes of the upper, adjacent or your own flat
   3. defective or deteriorated waterproofing of floor slabs or bath-tub seals
   4. seepage of waste water or rain water through roof / podium / balcony / external wall / window of buildings
2. How do we find out the causes of water seepage in residential flats?

   In most cases, water seepage is caused by leakage from defective water pipes, sanitary fitments or drainage pipes. Usually, these defects can be rectified by simple repair works. Owners should directly engage a building technician or licensed plumber to identify the cause of seepage for prompt repairs. Please also refer to the investigation methods in the "Do-it-yourself Water Seepage Test" pamphlet as published by the Joint Office.

3. How should disputes over water seepage be settled?

   Owners have the responsibility for maintaining and managing their building, which include resolving any seepage problem. You should quickly approach your neighbour for investigation and repair work to resolve the problem if the seepage is suspected to originate from the flat on the upper floor or next door. Besides, assistance may be sought from the management firm or the Owners' Corporation of your building. For more information, please watch the video "Co-operate with neighbours to stop water seepage": https://www.isd.gov.hk/eng/tvapi/16_fh56.html. Where necessary, you should with the engagement of a building professional or legal consultant request the responsible person to stop the seepage in accordance with the provisions under the Deed of Mutual Covenant, or even lodge a claim for damages.

4. What assistance can government departments offer?

   When encountering water seepage problems, owners/occupants may invite their property management office to participate in handling reports about water seepage. If you cannot resolve the problem of water seepage with your neighbour, please call “1823” for assistance.

   Starting from 16 July 2026, the Joint Office has implemented new procedures for investigating water seepage in private buildings (the new procedures) as a pilot scheme. Under the new procedures, the Joint Office has introduced the infrared thermography with electronic moisture meter simultaneously to assess seepage condition and preliminarily identify the source of seepage at Stage I of the investigation. If there is reasonable belief that the water seepage is caused by the upper unit, a “Notification Letter” will be issued to the owner of upper unit, requiring the owner to carry out inspection and repair works within 28 calendar days. If seepage persists after the deadline, the Joint Office will conduct Stage II and Stage III investigations in parallel, and will issue a “Nuisance Notice” under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) according to the investigation result, requiring abatement of the nuisance within a specified period. The JO will conduct a review upon expiry of the period as well as a confirmatory test as necessary; institute prosecution based on evidence for cases of non-compliance and further apply to the court for a “Nuisance Order”; and recover the examination costs from owners who fail to fulfill their responsibilities. All water seepage cases received by Joint Office from 16 July onwards will be handled according to the new procedures. Cases received before that date will be processed under the existing procedure.

   Regarding the new procedures for investigating water seepage in private buildings, the owners/occupants may refer to the “Notes to Owners/Occupants on New Procedures for Investigating Water Seepage in Private Buildings” prepared by the Joint Office .

   For reported cases of water seepage received before the implementation of the new procedures, the owners / occupants could also refer to the 'Notes to Owners / Occupants on the general procedures for investigating water seepage' prepared by the Joint Office, as follows:

   • For Wong Tai Sin, North, Tai Po, Kwai Tsing, Yuen Long and Islands Districts
   • For Central and Western, Wan Chai, Eastern, Southern, Yau Tsim, Mong Kok, Kowloon City, Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun, Shatin and Sai Kung, Districts

   If the seepage is mild or intermittent or if the source of seepage cannot be identified after investigation, Government intervention will cease. The Joint Office will invoke the powers bestowed upon it by the relevant legislation to investigate if a seepage case contravenes the legal requirements. If there is no concrete evidence to prove that the case violates relevant legal requirements, Joint Office will have no legal basis to take enforcement action.

   Technical Support

   Members of the public can refer to the thematic water seepage webpage for information on the list of service providers and contractors for seepage investigation and repair services, a list of mediators. Reference prices for seepage investigation and repair services, and the promotional videos on addressing seepage problems in buildings and the related legal procedures can also be referred to the thematic water seepage webpage for reference.

   Financial Assistance Schemes

   1. Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Needy Owners
   2. Building Safety Loan Scheme
5. What is the role of the Joint Office?

   The Joint Office set up by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Buildings Department aims to provide a "one-stop" service in dealing with complaints of seepage in buildings. Its role is to enforce the relevant provisions of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132)in abating any nuisance caused by water seepage. If necessary, the Joint Office will refer cases to the Buildings Department or the Water Supplies Department for follow up action. For example, the Buildings Department will tackle the problem of building dilapidations and defective drains under the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123), while Water Supplies Department will check if there is any wastage of water under the Waterworks Ordinance (Cap. 102).

6. How long will it take for the Joint Office to carry out water seepage investigation?

   The Joint Office will contact the informant within 6 working days upon receipt of a report.  The staff will first inspect the premises and then enter the flat of suspected seepage to carry out non-destructive tests systematically attempting to identify the seepage source.  For simple and straightforward cases, the Joint Office can issue a “Notification Letter” to the owner within approximately 14 working days after receiving a report.

7. Is the Joint Office vested with statutory powers to stop water seepage?

   The Joint Office has been authorised to enforce the relevant provisions of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132). Where the source of seepage posing a health nuisance is identified, the person concerned will be issued with a "Nuisance Notice" requiring the abatement of nuisance within a specified period of time, failing which the person will be subject to prosecution. The Joint Office may also apply to the Court for a "Nuisance Order" requiring the person concerned to abate the nuisance. Failure to comply with the order will result in prosecution. The Public Health and Municipal Services (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 (the Amendment Ordinance) comes into operation on 17 August 2025, the maximum penalty for non-compliance of a "Nuisance Notice" is increased to HK$25,000 and daily fine HK$450 and that for non-compliance of a "Nuisance order" is increased to HK$50,000 and daily fine HK$600.

8. How can the Joint Office obtain access into a residential flat to carry out the investigation?

   When handling a seepage complaint, the cooperation of all parties concerned is essential to allow the investigation officer access for testing and collecting evidence inside both the complainant's flat as well as the other flat suspected to be causing seepage in order to identify the seepage source. Depending on the circumstances, it may be necessary to conduct several tests and collect different samples for examination. If the owner/occupant concerned refuses to co-operate, the investigation process may be extended as the Joint Office will have to apply to the Court for a warrant to enter the flat in question.

   The Amendment Ordinance, which comes into operation on 17 August 2025, stipulates that any person who fails to comply with a "Notice of Intended Entry" without reasonable excuse is an offence and may be liable to a maximum fine HK$5,000. Additionally, it extends the permissible hours for entering the premises concerned to investigate nuisances to between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.

9. Can owners request the Joint Office to provide a copy of the investigation report for water seepage?

   If owners wish to obtain copies of the concerned investigation reports for water seepage, request may be made under the Code on Access to Information.  The applicant may initially approach the case officer (from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) or the Buildings Department) of the Joint Office for details of the report required. The applicant may also submit an application form to the Joint Office through mail, facsimile or e-mail. The application form can be downloaded from FEHD's webpage: https://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/department/code_on_access_info_proce.html. Regarding requests for reproducing Stage I & II investigation report on water seepage from the Joint Office, standard reproduction charges are listed on the FEHD's webpage: https://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/department/code_on_access_info_proce.html, while details of the Buildings Department's charges for obtaining duplicate of Stage III investigation report on water seepage can be found on the Buildings Department's webpage: https://www.bd.gov.hk/en/resources/request-for-information/index_fees.html.

10. How do owners/occupants make enquiries and engage building professionals, consultant firms, contractors or licensed plumbers to carry out water seepage investigation and the related repair works so as to resolve water seepage problems?

    Owners and occupants may refer to thematic webpage on water seepage for the information on the building professionals, consultant firms, contractors and licensed plumbers who provide services in seepage investigation and/or the related repair works.  Please click the links below:

    1. Lists of Professional Practitioners, Consultant Firms and Contractors
       
       https://www.waterseepage.gov.hk/en/professional/list_professional_firm.html
       
       
    2. List of Licensed Plumbers
       
       https://www.waterseepage.gov.hk/en/professional/list_plumbers.html
11. How can the Joint Office handle rainwater seepage?

    Under normal circumstances, seepage originated from penetration of rainwater through roofs, flat roofs, balconies, external walls or windows of a building or from leaking water pipes will not cause any public health implications and is not nuisance actionable by the Joint Office under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (PHMSO) (Cap. 132). The Joint Office will not follow up the seepage report in accordance with the established procedure. Having said that, the Joint Office will advise the Incorporated Owners to arrange building professionals to inspect the conditions of the external walls / main roof of the building and registered contractors to carry out necessary repair works. If necessary, the Joint Office will refer the case to the Buildings Department for follow up action on building safety problem.

12. How do owners/occupants verify the names and contact numbers of the consultants employed by the Joint Office for carrying out water seepage investigation?

    The new procedures for investigating water seepage in private buildings (the new procedures) will generally be conducted in three stages.  At Stage I investigation, if there is reasonable belief that the water seepage is caused by the upper unit, a “Notification Letter” will be issued to the owner of upper unit. If seepage persists after the deadline, the Joint Office will conduct Stage II and Stage III investigations in parallel.  The Joint Office will in the Stage III investigation arrange for an outsourced consultant to visit the premises concerned to carry out investigation and tests. The Joint Office will issue a letter to inform the occupants of the premises concerned in advance of such an arrangement and provide the names and contact telephone numbers of the staff of the Joint Office and the consultant responsible for the case and a sample of the consultant's staff card. The consultant's staff visiting the premises concerned should bring along their staff cards for identification and verification by the public. The staff cards are issued by the Joint Office and the contact telephone numbers of the Joint Office and the consultant are shown on the staff card to enable the public to make enquiries.

    The names and contact numbers of the outsourced consultants employed by the Joint Office for carrying out water seepage investigation are listed as follows:

    •  Names and contact numbers of consultants employed by the Joint Office for carrying out water seepage investigation
    If there is any doubt regarding the authenticity of the Joint Office’s letters or the identity of the consultant’s staff, you can contact the Joint Office at 3691 8479 (Hong Kong), 3156 1942 (Kowloon), 3426 3346 (New Territories East) or 3150 8370 (New Territories West).
13. What does “carrying out Stage II and Stage III investigations concurrently” mean?

    Starting from 16 July 2026, the Joint Office has implemented new procedures for investigating water seepage in private buildings (the new procedures).  During Stage I investigation, if there is reasonable belief that the water seepage is caused by the upper unit, a “Notification Letter” will be issued to the owner of upper unit. If seepage persists after the deadline, the Joint Office will conduct Stage II and Stage III investigations in parallel, with a view to further enhancing investigation efficiency.

    The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is responsible for carrying out Stage II Initial Investigation. Normally, staff from the Joint Office will visit the premises concerned for investigation and tests, which include moisture content monitoring at the affected premises and colour water tests at the drainage outlets of the premises suspected to be causing water seepage. The consultants appointed by the Joint Office are responsible for carrying out Stage III Professional Investigation.   Depending on the circumstances and needs of the case, one or several tests will be conducted by the staff of the consultants.  If the site circumstances are considered suitable, microwave moisture sensing devices may be used to measure the referenced moisture content data of the sub-layers of the concrete floor slab for analyzing the source of water seepage.  However, this method has limitations, and microwave tomography cannot be effectively applied under certain circumstances, such as spalling of concrete ceilings affected by water seepage, blockage of drainage pipes or other facilities, tile finishes on ceilings and false ceilings, etc. In these cases, conventional testing methods such as ponding test and spray test will be applied by the staff of the consultants.

14. Will the new procedures for water seepage investigation enable owners to know the details of water seepage sooner so that repair works can be carried out?

    For simple and straightforward cases with the co-operation from the owners / occupants concerned, the Joint Office anticipates that a “Notification Letter” can be issued to owners in about 14 working days after receiving a report.  The time for the premises concerned to be first informed to handle water seepage problems will be significantly shortened as compared with the previous practice of issuing a Nuisance Notice only after completion of the investigations, which took about 71 working days.  The actual time required for processing each reported water seepage case may differ, largely depending on the complexity of the case and the extent of co-operation from the parties concerned, in particular the owners and occupants involved. For complicated cases which may, for instance, involve more than one source of water seepage, multiple subdivided units, recurring or intermittent water seepage, investigators will have to conduct different or repeated tests, or ongoing investigations and monitoring in order to ascertain the cause of water seepage, which may prolong the time for investigation.

15. Which districts have been chosen for implementing the arrangement of carrying out Stage II and Stage III investigations concurrently?

    Starting from 16 July 2026, the Joint Office has implemented new procedures for investigating water seepage in private buildings (the new procedures).  All water seepage cases received by the Joint Office from that date onwards will be handled according to the new procedures.

16. Will carrying out Stage II and Stage III investigations concurrently help the Joint Office enhance the success rate of identifying the source of water seepage?

    When investigating water seepage complaints, the Joint Office will, having regard to the circumstances of each case, adopt a series of feasible non-destructive testing methods in an elimination process to investigate the reported water seepage in accordance with established procedures.  Carrying out Stage II and Stage III investigations concurrently does not involve any change in the techniques used in water seepage investigations.  Therefore, it will not have an impact on the percentage of cases identified with the source of water seepage during the investigations.

Water Dripping

1. What are the common causes of water dripping giving rise to nuisance to public?
   1. air conditioners
   2. leakage of water supply pipes
   3. leakage of drainage pipes
   4. watering plant
   5. hanging clothes
2. How to handle?

   Upon receipt of complaint about water dripping, FEHD staff will investigate the case to ascertain whether the complaint justified. If the water dripping is causing nuisance to public, identify the source of dripping and take necessary follow-up action which may include referral of the case to other relevant departments if the complaint falls outside the jurisdiction of FEHD (e.g. defective water supply pipe, defective exposed/external drainage pipe).

3. When will the Nuisance Notice be issued?

   Once nuisance is established and author of nuisance confirmed, Nuisance Notice will be served to responsible party(ies).