China's State Council on Saturday announced that it has amended a property management regulation to protect the legal rights of owners and service companies.

The amendment came amid efforts to ensure the smooth implementation of the Property Law, which will also come into effect on October 1.

The 70-article regulation aims to "standardize property management and protect the legal rights of the owners and property service companies".

The regulation stipulates that "owners are entitled to appeal to the People's court to repeal any decision by owners committee that violates their legitimate rights."

The newly amended regulation underscores that owners' meeting have to represent more than half of the total owners possessing more than half of the total building area.

Under the new regulation, raising or using special funds for maintenance and reconstruction and affiliate facilities should be approved by over two thirds of the owners possessing more than two thirds of the total building area, which conforms with the 76th Article of the Property Law.

(Xinhua News Agency September 2, 2007)