Society

First self-government owners' committee rebuffed

By Chen Hong (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-12-08 09:49

SHENZHEN: The Chinese mainland's first self-government owners' committee was created on Sunday after receiving votes from more than half of the real estate proprietors in a residential area of the southern city, but the local administration has refused to acknowledge its legal status.

The committee was set up to replace the existing owners' committee of Jingzhou Building, which could not work normally without making a record with the local construction authority, committee director Zou Jiajian said.

As such, it could not sign a renewal contract with the real estate management firm, he said.

The new organization would allow the owners to directly employ professional managers for their real estate, as well as companies that specialize in lifts operation, daily cleaning and security guards once they fail to reach an agreement with the existing real estate management company.

"We believe the self-government rights of the owners have been protected by the country's Real Right Law," said Zou, who organized the voting.

According to China's Real Right Law, the owners could manage the building and its ancillary facilities on their own, or commission a real estate management company or other professional managers.

However, Jinghua community workstation, the lowest-level government organization, said neither of the owners' committees of Jingzhou Building complies with Chinese law.