冼維平及另十八人 訴 萬豐大廈業主立案法團

LDBM000282/2002

LDBM 282/2002

香港特別行政區

土地審裁處

建築物管理申請編號2002年第282號

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主審法官: 黃一鳴暫委法官

審訊日期: 2003年1月28日

宣判日期: 2003年2月21日

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判 案 書

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背景

1.申請人為香港新界元朗鳳群街11至15號萬豐大廈(“該大廈”)商場部份舖位之業主。答辯人為該大廈之立案法團。申請人的申請是要求土地審裁處頒發聲明命令如下：-

“住宅與商場之賬戶分開，依照本大廈公契(附表四)之管理費比例(即6:4)分攤費用，而住宅之電梯保養費及住宅走廊照明設備只入住宅賬戶(附表10第四段1)”。

2.答辯人反對申請人的申請，原因是該大廈的管理費收入及支出帳目模式，自該大廈建成入伙以來沿用至今，而申請人的要求已經由申請人的商舖管理費計算方法中顯示出來，並無對申請人構成不公平。

3.因此，本席需要裁定的事項為該大廈商場的管理費應如何計算和攤分，及應否包括住宅之電梯保養費和走廊照明設備的費用。

申請人的案情

4.根據申請人的證人梁彩蓮女士的證供，該大廈由落成入伙至1995年9月中都是由發展商之附屬管理公司管理，申請人一直相信管理公司是根據該大廈之公契去計算商場與住宅應繳付之管理費，及至答辯人自行管理時，亦跟從管理公司之計算方法去計算管理費。

5.於1998年下旬，梁女士翻看該大廈公契，發現公契第(g)(xi)段，即公契第9至10頁，說明商場業主無需分擔住宅之電梯保養，住宅大堂、走廊及後樓梯之照明系統維修及費用。梁女士於是聯同其他商場業主，要求答辯人之主席召開業主大會來決議依據公契第(g)(xi)段，即第9至10頁的條文來攤分管理費，但遭住宅業主反對，吵架收場。申請人遂向土地審裁處提出是次申請。

6.申請人又認為該大廈公契附表三，即公契第38至第43頁顯示住宅與商場合共業權份數為4,520份，住宅佔2,688份，商場佔1,832份，比例為6:4，而根據附表四，即公契第44至45頁之管理費總收入為34,835元，住宅佔21,000元，商場佔13,835元，比例也是6:4，因此住宅與商場之分擔費用比例應為6:4，即住宅佔60%，商場佔40%。同時，申請人認為公契第4(l)段，即公契第12頁中，已說明如果該大廈的業主支付給經理人的總款不足以彌補所有或任何費用、收費和開支，則業主須根據每個業主目前持有該土地和該大廈的不可分割份數的數目，按比例增加開支的繳款。

7.至於電梯保養費及走廊照明系統費用，申請人認為如果該大廈公契附表四已預算住宅要支付這些費用，不需商場分擔的話，那麼住宅所付之管理費應佔總收入的60%以上才合理，而現時電梯保養費每月為10,000元，用於電梯及住宅走廊照明之電費約9,600元，這費用是根據2000年4月至2001年3月份收支概況表之電費計算，但兩項費用合計19,600元，已佔現時每月管理費總收入之23%。

8.由於該大廈之住宅單位及商舖所需設施各有不同，該大廈之日常保養及維修費用，絕大部份屬於住宅方面，而商場之裝修及設施則十分簡漏，相對而言，申請人認為商場業主現時所支付之管理費過高，因此要求根據公契將商場與住宅之賬戶分開。

答辯人的案情

9.答辯人傳召了兩位證人，即趙飛生先生及鄧慶容先生作證。根據兩位答辯人證人的證供，答辯人其實是同意其收取之管理費應如該大廈公契附表四所定計算，但按其比例有所調整。不過答辯人提出以下申辯理由：-

"1.萬豐大廈業主立案法團是萬豐大廈業主們的代表(包括住戶與及商戶)，也是萬豐大廈公契的執行者，對萬豐大廈公契的各項條款沒有更改權，而萬豐大廈公契DMC Memorial No. 280764的各項條款是任何時間都有效力(見附上戲院律師信副本第一頁底六行)。

2.萬豐大廈業主立案法團對調整管理費都是依據公契附表四所定基數按一定相同比例計算，當然也經過議決(見附上文件四)，最近調整的日期一九九七年十一月，調整幅度為26/334，因應住戶及部份商戶可由$334調整至$360。而冷氣費幅度則為20%。(管理費參閱文件三及文件九)

3.管理費的用途在大廈公契第七頁(g)有詳細介紹：其中(iii)大廈公共水、電費及類似費用。(viii)操作，保養，修理，更換和更新該建築內的所有升降機、防盜系統和防火設備的費用。.................而且，該大廈底樓商舖，底樓、一樓和一樓高座的影院/戲院，一樓的外賣咖啡店的業主未被要求也沒有責任支付有關維修，保養和操作電梯或以上樓層的公共樓梯和走道的維修或照明的開支。所有該些開支須由該大廈二樓至十九樓(包括在內)的單位的現業主根據每個業主目前持有該土地和該建築的不可分割的份數之數目按比例分擔和支付(見公契第十頁第五行Provided Also至第十八行)。

4.上一段已表明住戶已按個別份數攤消有關維修，保養和操作電梯或以上樓層的公共樓梯和走道的維修或照明的開支，而總計為業權的2,688份，其餘的業權份數2,842份未有被要求攤消上述費用。

5.商舖2號至商舖89號新廈落成時每份數所繳管理費平均為$8.29，而商舖1號衹為$2.20(見附上文件三)，究其緣因係攤佔商場公眾地方所致，而商舖1號獨立於大廈門口左面，為上咖啡室的主要入口。

6.綜合上述理由萬豐大廈業主立案法團對梁彩蓮女士及其代表的商舖業戶所陳述的理由不成立，希望審裁處給予審裁。"

管理費的計算方法

10.該大廈公契第4(g)條的條文如下：-

"(g)Each owner shall pay to the Manager in respect of each unit of which he is the owner a monthly service charge of such amount as the Manager may reasonably estimate to be sufficient (with the contributions from all the other units) to cover the cost of the following items save and except that the owner of the Cinema/Theatre shall not be obliged to pay any items other than the reassessed Crown Rent as appeared in Clause (g)(ii) hereinafter mentioned :-

(i)The remuneration of the Manager which shall be at the rate of 12% of the total monthly contribution to be collected from the owners for the time being of the said Land and the said building and shall be payable in advance on the first day of each calendar month such remuneration to be subject to adjustment from time to time upon the Manager giving to the owners for the time being of the said building not less than three months' previous notice in writing in that behalf provided always that when the Management Committee is acting as the Manager it shall not be remunerated.

(ii)The reassessed Crown Rent payable in respect of the said Land (unless separate assessments are made for each unit).

(iii)Electricity (except those electricity charges for the operating of the air-conditioning plant or systems installed for the arcades on the Ground Floor and Takeaway Coffee Shop on the First Floor of the said building for the use and benefit of the owners and occupiers of the Shops on the Ground Floor and Takeaway Coffee Shop on the First Floor of the said building which shall be borne and paid by such owners and occupiers among them monthly in proportion to the number of the undivided shares for the time being held in the said Land and the said building) water and other similar charges for or in connection with the said building as a whole and not being in respect of the use of consumption in any particular unit or other area enjoyed exclusively by one owner.

(iv)Remuneration for caretakers, watchmen, cleaners, attendants and the like.

(v)The cost of household refuse disposal.

(vi)The cost of repairing, renewing, maintaining, cleansing, painting or decorating the said building or any part or parts thereof or the common parts (except such portions of the main roof of the said building the right to the exclusive use and enjoyment whereof is held by any particular owner or owners other than the First Owner) of the said building and all water pumps, tanks, pipes, sewers, drains, water courses, cables, wires or services therein and all the apparatus equipment and conveniences thereof.

(vii)The cost of operating and servicing the water pumps.

(viii)The cost of operating maintaining repairing servicing replacing and renewing all the lifts in the said building the anti-burglar system and the fire service equipment.

(ix)The charges payable to Government or to any individual or company for the supply of flush water.

(x)The premia payable for the insurance against Employers' Liability and against Third Party Liability of the Manager in relation to the said building as aforesaid.

(xi)Such legal or other fees and costs which may be incurred by the Manager in the performance of any duty and/or in the exercise of any power hereunder.

Provided Always the maintaining repairing servicing replacing and renewing all the air-conditioning plants or system installed for the arcades on the Ground Floor and Takeaway Coffee Shop on the First Floor of the said building for the use and benefit of the owners and occupiers of the Shops on the Ground Floor and Takeaway Coffee Shop on the First Floor shall be shared and paid among such owners and occupiers in proportion to the number of the undivided shares for the time being held in the said Land and the said building and Provided Also that the owner for the time being of the Shops on the Ground Floor, Cinema/Theatre on the Ground, First and Upper First Floors and Takeaway Coffee Shop on the First Floor of the said building shall not be required or liable to make any payment in respect of the expenses for the repairing maintaining and operating of the lifts or for the maintenance or illumination of the common stairs and passage ways on the upper floors all of which said expenses shall be borne and paid for by the owners for the time being of the units of the Second to Nineteenth Floors (inclusive) of the said building in proportion to the number of the undivided shares for the time being held by each owner of the said Land and the said building." (底線後加)

11.公契第4(j)條的條文如下：-

"(j) The monthly service charge for each unit shall be as set out in the Fourth Schedule hereto and shall be payable to the Manager monthly in advance from the date of issue of the Occupation Permit for the said building. The full monthly service charge shall be payable by each owner whether his unit is occupied or not and shall be subject to adjustment by the Manager from time to time."

12.此外，公契第4(k)條的條文如下：-

"(k) In addition to the monthly service charge, each owner shall pay to the Manager on demand in respect of each unit of which he is the owner a share proportionate to his monthly contributions as set out in the Fourth Schedule hereto of the cost of all major repairs, replacements, renovations and all other costs and expenses incurred in respect of the management of the said Land and the said building their equipment, apparatus and services (including, without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing, permia for fire insurance and employers' compensation liability) or which may otherwise become payable by the owners collectively under the terms of this Deed to the extent that the same are not covered by the monthly service charge."

13.公契的附表四則如下：-

"THE FOURTH SCHEDULE ABOVE REFERRED TO

The amount of monthly service charge payable by each owner of units referred to in Clause 4(i) herein are as follows :-

Commercial Units on First Floor (Takeaway Coffee Shop)

Residential Units on 2nd to 19th Floors

Flats B, C, D and E.
Flats A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H.
- 140 Flats - @$150.00"

14.根據上述的條文，該大廈的管理費是必須依照附表四所列出的數目收取。雖然在附表四中所引述的條文是 "Clause 4(i)"，不過這明顯是一個錯誤，正確的條文應是 "Clause 4(j))"，因為公契第4(i)條所述的只是有關冷氣費的按金，而第4(j))條才是有關管理費的收取。

15.附表四所列出的是每個單位應支付的管理費金額，而不是各單位所支付的比例，而公契第4(j)條則說明經理人可隨時就管理費作出調整。根據答辯人的申辯理由，答辯人其實同意管理費的調整是依據附表四所定基數按一定相同比例計算。本席亦同意管理費的調整應該是根據附表四的基數按相同比例增加或減少，因為這樣才是一個公平和合理的做法。

16.申請人有提及公契第4(l)條，其條文如下：-

"If the total contributions payable to the Manager by the owners of the said building as aforesaid shall be insufficient to cover all or any of the said costs charges and expenses then such owners shall make further contributions towards such expenses in proportion to the number of the undivided shares for the time being held by each owner of the said Land and the said building."

17.不過，本席認為公契第4(l)條並不涉及每月收取的管理費，第4(l)條只是在經理人已經收取了根據第4(j)及4(k)條的款項後，仍然不能支付所有支出時才適用。因此，每月的管理費並不按附表三所述的業權份數比例計算，而是按附表四所述的金額比例計算。申請人根據附表三所列的業權份數而計算出住宅與商舖分擔管理費的比例為6比4並不成立。

住宅與商舖的賬戶應否分開

18.根據公契第4(g)條，當中第(i)，第(iii)至(xi)段所提及的款項應是該大廈所有業主，但不包括影院/戲院的業主，來分擔的，而第(ii)段的款項則由所有業主，包括影院/戲院的業主，來分擔。分擔的比例，應是按照公契第4(j)條及附表四辨事。因此，有關第4(g)條中第(i)至(xi)條的款項賬目不可能分開住宅和商場來個別計算。

19.不過，第4(g)條亦說明了三個項目要分開處理。第一個項目就是該大廈地下商舖及1字樓外賣咖啡店的冷氣維修費用。這個項目現時已經分開處理，所以並沒有問題。其餘兩個項目就是該大廈的電梯維修、保養及運作費用和樓上各層的公用樓梯及走廊保養及照明費用。第4(g)條己說明這兩項費用須由該大廈2字樓至19字樓的業主按業權份數攤分，而不須由地下商舖，位於地下、1字樓和1字樓上層的影院/戲院及1字樓外賣咖啡店的業主負責。

20.雖然第4(g)條並沒有說明樓上各層，即 "upper floors" 是指那一層開始，不過既然第4(g)條說是由2字樓至19字樓的業主負責，而不須由地下商舖，位於地下、1字樓和1字樓上層的影院/戲院及1字樓外賣咖啡店的業主負責，本席認為 "upper floors" 應是指2字樓及以上各層，但不包括地下，1字樓和1字樓上層。

21.一直以來答辯人並沒有將上述兩個項目分開處理，而是與其他的開支一起計算，因此，地下，1字樓及1字樓上層的業主都有支付這兩項費用，但這明顯是違反了公契第4(g)條的條文。本席認為這兩個項目應該分開處理，即是說答辯人應該將有關電梯維修、保養和運作的費用及走廊的保養和照明費用分開出來作為一個獨立賬戶，而這個賬戶的數額應由2字樓至19字樓的業主按業權份數攤分。

22.至於地下，1字樓和1字樓上層的公用樓梯及走廊的保養和照明費用，由於公契並沒有提及這些費用要分開處理，這些費用應如其他開支一樣，由所有業主按附表四的比例攤分。

23.其實答辯人對上述公契解釋並沒有異議。根據答辯人上述的申辯理由的第3段，答辯人只是提出“該大廈底樓商舖、底樓、一樓和一樓高座的影院/戲院、一樓的外賣咖啡店的業主未被要求也沒有責任支付有關維修，保養和操作電梯或以上樓層的公共樓梯和走道的維修或照明的開支。”但根據申請人提供的1998年9月份收支概況表和2000年4月份至2001年3月份收支概況表，答辯人收取的管理費中確實包括了電梯保養費用，而根據梁女士的計算，商場的電費大約每月為2,500元，遠遠低過收支概況表所列出的電費開支，即大概每月12,000元。這可證明這些電費已包括了2樓及以上各層公用樓梯和走廊的照明費用。

24.基於上述理由，本席裁定該大廈的電梯維修、保養及運作費用和該大廈2字樓及以上的公用樓梯及走廊的保養和照明費用必須從管理費一般的支出中分拆出來作為一個獨立賬戶，並由該大廈2字樓至19字樓的業主按業權分攤這些費用。

命令

25.因此，本席頒令如下：-

(1) 聲明命令：該大廈的電梯維修、保養及運作費用和該大廈2字樓及以上各層的公用樓梯及走廊的保養和照明費用須有獨立賬戶，並根據該大廈公契第4(g)條由該大廈2字樓至19字樓的業主按其業權份數攤分，而不須地下商舖，位於地下、1字樓和1字樓上層的影院/戲院及1字樓外賣咖啡店的業主負責；

(2) 臨時訟費命令：答辯人須支付申請人是次申請的訟費；如果雙方未能就數額達成協議，則由法庭釐定；如果與訟任何一方不在14天內就此項臨時訟費命令提出申請，則此項臨時訟費命令作實。

第一至第十九申請人：由梁彩蓮女士代表。

答辯人：由趙飛生先生代表。