(Hong Kong, 2 December 2024) In order to resolve conflicts and disputes between property owners and occupants in Hong Kong caused by water seepage issues, eBRAM International Online Dispute Resolution Centre (“eBRAM”), an independent non-profit arbitration and mediation organisation, today joined hands with the Agency for Volunteer Service to officially launch the Pro-bono Online Mediation Scheme for Water Seepage Disputes (“Scheme”). The Scheme is free of charge and aims to foster a harmonious community by providing the public with efficient and economical online mediation services to help resolve water seepage disputes in the community.

The Scheme has received strong support from the “Joint Office” set up by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Buildings Department. When water seepage issues arise, both parties in-volved can agree to conduct mediation at any stage. The parties can do so by submitting a request through eBRAM’s platform under the Scheme. The platform will then arrange for independent and neutral volunteer mediators to mediate the parties’ dispute. The Scheme aims to enable parties to resolve disputes in the simplest, most cost-effective, and time-efficient manner.

Actively Assumes Social Responsibility and Alleviates the Concerns and Difficulties of the Citizens

The issue of building leakage or water seepage is a common source of dispute in the Hong Kong commu-nity, and multi-faceted issue encompasses cost split and responsibility for carrying out repairs . This issue has been troubling property owners and occupants in Hong Kong, as it is complicated and involves multiple parties’ responsibilities. Traditional legal proceedings are time-consuming and expensive, making it difficult to resolve these issues in a short period of time, which often causes great suffering to the residents in-volved.

In view of this, as a leading non-profit arbitration and mediation organisation in Hong Kong, eBRAM actively uses innovative approaches to address social livelihood issues. Launched in cooperation with the Agency for Volunteer Service and supported by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Build-ings Department, this free online mediation service fills a gap in legal services and provides an efficient, economical and convenient solution for members of the public who are in need.

Efficiently Resolves Water Seepage Disputes, Highlights Advantages of Online Mediation

eBRAM’s mediation rules and online dispute resolution platform have overcome the time and space limi-tations of traditional mediation, allowing parties to participate in mediation process anytime and anywhere. Compared with cumbersome litigation procedures, online mediation is fast and efficient, and lowers the threshold for resolving disputes so that both parties do not have to go through lengthy legal proceedings and pay expensive litigation fees. This flexible service model meets the needs of the busy public living in modern cities to build a harmonious community.

In addition, mediation is led by the parties involved, who have more control over the outcome. Both parties can work together to agree on a solution, rather than leaving the decision-making process entirely to the court. At the same time, mediation emphasizes fairness and understanding, which aims to reduce tensions between the parties, avoids escalation of conflicts, and protects their neighbourhood relations. As a third party, professional mediators maintain a neutral stance and assist the parties in discussing feasible solutions that give them peace of mind.

Innovative LawTech to Help Build a Harmonious Future

Dr Thomas So, JP, Chairman of eBRAM, said, "We are committed to serving our society, promoting sustainable development, and giving back to the community by leveraging innovative technologies and applying our expertise. By collaborating with the Agency for Volunteer Service and with the support of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Buildings Department, the launch of the free ‘Pro-bono Online Mediation Scheme for Water Seepage Disputes’ has not only helped solve the public’s livelihood issues, but also provided new ideas for building a harmonious and inclusive social environment. Looking ahead, we will continue to work closely with the government and other organisations to provide high-quality and efficient dispute resolution services to more members of the public."

Ms. Melissa Pang, BBS, MH, JP, Chairman of the Agency for Volunteer Service, said, "We have always been attentive to the needs of the members of the public and are committed to playing a pivotal role in collaborating with various sectors of society to address livelihood issues. By having dedicated professional mediators who are passionate about serving society as volunteer workers, we provide free mediation services to relevant owners and occupants through eBRAM’s online platform, believing that we can play a crucial role in resolving building leakage disputes within the community. We look forward to promoting community harmony through this innovative initiative, ensuring that members of the public can live and work in peace."

According to the figures released by the Joint Office, over the past five years, there have been an average of over 40,000 complaints per year on water seepage issues. The number of cases in which the source of water seepage was identified and relevant investigations completed averaged around 5,800 cases per year, accounting for approximately 14.5% of the total number of complaints. As at September 2023, the number of cases under investigation was around 10,000. Between 2020 and 2022, investigation on approximately 30% of the cases could not be completed and complainants were not informed of the investigation results within 90 working days. The “Pro-bono Online Mediation Scheme for Water Seepage Disputes” initiated by eBRAM and the Agency for Volunteer Service is set to effectively reduce the time required to handle water seepage cases, increase efficiency in addressing the public’s livelihood issues, and play a more active role in promoting harmony in the community and reducing social conflicts.

“Pro-bono Online Mediation Scheme for Water Seepage Disputes” Webpage:
https://ebram.org/Water_Seepage_POM_Scheme/?language=en