Key facts
- URA advised property owners against hiring Taizoom Elevator.
- Taizoom Elevator failed to install fire safety components in lifts at 338 buildings.
- URA does not vet for bid-rigging risks in maintenance tenders.
- URA does not vet bidders for potential conflicts of interest.
Hong Kong's Urban Renewal Authority (URA) has advised property owners involved in a subsidy scheme to avoid hiring Taizoom Elevator, a contractor found to have neglected the installation of essential fire safety components in lifts across hundreds of buildings. This advisory comes after the government suspended the company's performance rating. The URA stated it has "lost confidence" in the company. Separately, a senior manager from the URA testified at a fire inquiry that the authority does not actively vet maintenance tenders for bid-rigging risks, asserting that such responsibilities lie with law enforcement. The manager also confirmed the URA does not scrutinize bidders for conflicts of interest and does not typically refer resident complaints about consultants to authorities.