Tai Po fire: Residents say ‘no choice’ but to accept buyback as deadline looms

Residents of the fire-hit Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po feel they have "no choice" but to accept the government's buyback offer for their flats, with many urging authorities to reconsider rebuilding the estate on its original site.

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We are given no choice.

Half a year after a devastating fire in November that claimed 168 lives and displaced thousands, residents were permitted to return to the housing complex to retrieve personal belongings. However, their return highlighted dissatisfaction with the government's buyback plan, which requires flat owners to accept the offer by the end of August.

"It's either sell your flat or sell your flat," said a resident surnamed Lee, emphasizing the limited options available. Another resident, surnamed Sze, called the buyback the "only rational option" but expressed concerns about life after selling, as details remain unclear. He noted, "It's not an easy decision, but people will understand that, in our situation, we don't really have many options."

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It’s either sell your flat or sell your flat.

Criticism has also been directed at the government's deadlines. A resident identified as Lai called the June 30 deadline for early flat selection "putting the cart before the horse," suggesting that residents should be able to choose new flats before being compelled to sell their current ones. Mrs. Wong questioned the urgency of the deadlines, asking why residents couldn't wait for the report from an independent committee investigating the blaze, due in September. She also questioned why the HK$2 billion fire insurance could not be used for rebuilding, stating, "Why can't you use that HK$2 billion to rebuild? We can wait. I am not dying. But [the government] is not giving us a choice."

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We have concerns about how to conduct our lives after selling the flat, because it has not been made clear.

Some residents, like Lee, whose flat was unaffected by the fire, expressed a desire to live in a rebuilt estate. There are also calls for better communication and transparency from the government-appointed administrator, Hop On Management, with suggestions for an owners' meeting to facilitate dialogue.

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It’s not an easy decision [to sell the flat], but people will understand that, in our situation, we don’t really have many options.