Technical Services Section
The main tasks of the Technical Services Section involve inspections, measuring up premises and drawing up plans. This section also conducts technical reporting on various schemes and benefits offered by Housing Authority, which include:
- Grant on First Residence (GFR);
- Scheme R;
- Applications for Rental Accommodation;
- Applications for subsidized sale accommodation (when applicable);
- Inspections and reporting on complaints or queries by beneficiaries;
- Miscellaneous repair works in Housing Authority vacant premises;
- Checking of occupancy of premises;
- Custody of keys.
The Technical Services Section also conducts research, building Housing stock records and evaluating them. These records and evaluations include:
- Records of occupied and vacant stock of residential premises;
- Records of occupied and vacant stock of commercial premises;
- Records of premises under construction or pre construction;
- Evaluation of Housing Authority and Government premises for sale, rental, exchange or recognition purposes;
- Evaluation and assessment of premises to be acquired form the Government (Lands Department) or the Joint office;
- Evaluation and assessment of premises to be acquired from private owners;
- Evaluation of plots to be redeveloped by beneficiaries;
- Evaluation of property to determine assets of applicants;
- Condition reports of premises;
- Preparation of drawings for contracts of sale or rent of premises;
- Handing over of keys to beneficiaries.
These records constantly need updating. This entails:
- Updating of records of land stock;
- Requests of transfer of Land and follow ups;
- Evaluation of land;
- Registration of property;
- Land surveys.
The Technical Services Section is also responsible for quantity surveying. This involves works such as pre-contract measurements, the drawing up of bills of quantities and drawing up of tender documents.
This section also organizes graphic designs for advert, booklets and exhibitions, as wells as the compilation of any data required.
Repairs and Improvement Section
The scope of the Repairs and Improvements Section is to take responsibility of the state, maintenance and use of Government properties. This section is also responsible to make government properties fully accessible for tenants with special needs when such needs arise. The scope of this section extends to the vulnerable so as to render their residence in conformity to today’s standards, when they reside in private property which is leased to them.
In the case of vacant Government properties, this Section provides technical support for the process of allocation. Hence we carry out the following tasks:
- The preparation of reports on improvements in terms of items of work and cost;
- The removal of illegal structures;
- Structural work necessary prior to allocation;
- Carry out inspection, and issue certifications for payment to tenants who have been entrusted with improvement works.
There are also a number of vacant sites which are scheduled for renovation and in turn these require:
The redesign and MEPA application for development;
- Procurement of construction work;
- Supervision and certification for payment;
- Report on services and finishes to be carried out by the beneficiary.
The maintenance of common areas in Government residential blocks are the Repair and Improvement Section’s responsibility. This does not only include the stairwell, but also the roof level and external surrounding spaces. The strategy to tackle this responsibility is two pronged. We engage contractors to carry out various trades and we also administer and monitor a number of Local Councils’ intervention. We are continuously preparing tender documents and maintenance work all over the government residential blocks. To date this section has allocated the following contract works to be used on the majority of residential government blocks:
- Mitigation of danger
- Drainage Repairs
- Repairs to Roof Structures
- Electrical Repairs
- Spalling Repairs in Concrete Ceilings.
These contracts are also utilized to respond to claims by tenants who raise a complaint once a site visit has been carried out by our technical supervisor to verify and justify the complaint.
We also respond to reports of dangerous structures in Government properties. In such circumstances we utilize our awarded contracts for quick response.
The Repairs and Improvement Section is responsible for the expenditure of public funds for contract works issued by 17 Local Councils for the maintenance of common parts in Government property and 11 Local Councils for improvements in surrounding areas in their locality.
An initiative also exists to help elderly people who cannot improve their situation in privately rented properties. There are three planned contracts of work to cover present cases while future cases will be received once the new scheme is launched. Work on these new cases will be done from a pool of contractors who have expressed their intention to work on our contracts.