Going Against the Fat Cats: Interview with Tsim Chai Nam
Tsim Chai Nam a.k.a. ‘Tsim Sir’ has been a home inspector in Hong Kong since 2000. Loved by celebrity clients and feared by property developers, Tsim Sir talks to us about his experience standing up to the city’s most powerful industry.
When and why did you get into the home inspection business? Tsim Chai-nam: I graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 1988 with a major in Civil Engineering. I spent a lot of time as an employee, and didn’t start my own home inspection business until 2000. I had bought a new apartment, and saw for myself how small homeowners got bullied by property developers, which inspired me to become an independent voice.
How were small homeowners bullied? TCN: There was evidence of poor handiwork everywhere, yet, the so-called ‘surveyors’ I had to deal with insisted everything was fine and up to standards. Even when windows were leaking, they would brush it off as if it were all good. There was no work ethic whatsoever, and I was furious.
You mean these surveyors had some sort of relationship with property developers? TCN: Yes
Tell me about your procedures once you step into a home. TCN: The first thing I do is say hello to the homeowner; that’s a must. If I get a good vibe from them, we might chat for a little while. Communication is important to me, because what I do is very much about trust and relationship. Then I get down to business. I begin with knocking on all the walls, then the floors, the windows, kitchen and bathroom.
What kind of people are your customers? TCN: Mostly middle-class families and professionals. People with higher education tend to be more aware of the importance of having your home checked. They know it’s a good investment.
You’re well known for having inspected the homes of the rich and famous. Can you tell me whose house you’ve visited? TCN: I need to keep my clients’ confidentiality, so I can’t specifically answer that. There are some entertainers, but most of my ‘famous’ customers belong to the business circle.
I hear tycoons are quite superstitious, especially when it comes to feng shui. Does what you do ever clash with that? TCN: I don’t care for feng shui; I just do what I’m supposed to do. I’ve experienced times when I would be inspecting a house, and a feng shui master would be there evaluating at the same time. There was even once when I was inspecting a home, a master was there performing the Prayer to the Four Directions right in the next room.
What’s the most problematic home you’ve ever visited? TCN: The most ridiculous case was a home with a bathtub, but there was no faucet for it. None of the kitchen cabinets had been installed. The drains were all clogged up. It was a brand new, first hand home straight from the developer, and this was supposed to be the day of the handover.
Was this a well-known developer? TCN: Yes, they are a large company.
I’m guessing property developers are familiar with you. What is their opinion of you? TCN: When I’d just started, it was clear they did not like me. There were times when staff from property developers would cuss at me and ask me to leave. They told me where I could and couldn’t stand and stuff like that. We have a better relationship now.
What changed? TCN: I made a name for myself, and their attitude subsequently changed.
What are some common tricks property developers use to cut costs that are unfavorable to us buyers? TCN: Different companies will have different approaches; it’d be unfair to generalize them all. Some like to use tricks to cover up problems; at least until the warranty passes, then they don’t need to take any responsibility for it. A television program regularly asks me to inspect homes whenever new properties come up, and I will give these flats a score out of 100. I’ve come to realize that most, if not all developers will put a lot of effort into their first batch of handovers. The media are usually first to see new flats, so this program gets to film, and thus I inspect, the best batch. I can be giving a certain estate a score of 90+ during the filming, but as the second, third, and subsequent batches come rolling out, the quality can fall to just bare minimum—something like a score of 60 or even less.
What are some of the reasons they lose marks that we can look out for? TCN: Most flats lose marks for leaking. Window leaks are the most common. Then it is drains and faucets. Hollowed plasters and tiles are also common. Sometimes you get wrong measurements in marble installments—these mistakes tend to lose more marks. Chips and scratches get fewer marks deducted.
We’ve talked about bad developers. So which are the good ones? TCN: I can definitely say Sun Hung Kai and Sino Group are the best in Hong Kong. Many of the flats they produce have been able to keep up a score of 90 or over, and it’s not just the first batch. For example, The Coronation, which was just released earlier this year, has been consistently fantastic.
Any hopes, fears or outlooks for the future of Hong Kong’s property market? TCN: I Recently, some partners and I established the Hong Kong Professional Building Inspection Academy. Our goal is to regulate the work of Hong Kong property developers and give an award to those who did a good job. Last year we gave Sun Hung Kai and Sino Group the ‘Building of the Year’ award. We hope what we do can encourage developers to really pick up their game and work to improve their quality of work.
A version of this interview first appeared in the 8 November, 2013 issue of HK Magazine.