Rents near Hong Kong’s universities on the rise as more mainland Chinese students return amid easing coronavirus crisis
- Students from the mainland have been flocking back to Hong Kong in increasing numbers; their need for accommodation is a rare bright spot in an otherwise bleak market
- In Sha Tin, a two-bedroom flat in the Wai Wah Centre was rented to two mainland students at a monthly price of HK$15,300, which is nearly the price of a three-bedroom home in the same building
Luo Yuanhang, a year-four science student at Baptist University, rented a 700 square-foot flat near Kowloon City, close to his lectures. He shares the apartment with another four classmates, and starting from July the apartment cost HK$16,000 (US$2,039) per month.
The rent was 7 per cent higher than the previous lease. Luo, who is from the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan, said he and his classmates – also mainlanders – had been particularly eager to find a home because the Baptist University would not allow year-four students to stay in halls of residence.
Luo’s landlord, who was only willing to disclose her name as Poon, said that before signing the contract, about three or four people came to see the house every day. She had no concerns that the unit would remain empty.
“Usually students sign the contract starting from July. If the rental period started in August, the price would be even higher,” she said.
