Sean Wilken KC, sitting as a Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court of Hong Kong, has handed down judgment in Wong Tak Keung Stanley & Anor v The Incorporated Owners of Grenville House & Anor [2026] HKCFI 5470.
The proceedings concerned a long-running dispute relating to water ingress affecting a penthouse apartment at Grenville House in Hong Kong. Following a detailed review of the factual and expert evidence, the Court found that, with one exception, the leaks originated from common parts of the building, including the roof and external walls, and that water ingress had continued notwithstanding previous remedial works.
A central issue before the Court was the appropriate remedy. While the plaintiffs sought a mandatory injunction requiring further repair works, the Court concluded that the evidence did not establish a sufficiently defined remedial scheme to support that form of relief. The Court therefore declined to grant a mandatory injunction and instead directed a structured process requiring the appointment of an independent expert to develop, approve and oversee a remedial scheme, with provision for Court supervision should disputes arise.
In addition to its consideration of water ingress claims and building management obligations, the judgment contains a detailed discussion of expert evidence and the practical challenges that can arise when courts are asked to supervise complex remedial works.
The full judgment is available via the Hong Kong Judiciary's Legal Reference System: legalref.judiciary.hk/lrs/common/ju/ju_frame.jsp?DIS=185427&currpage=T
