Hong Kong court upholds 3 rulings granting equal housing, inheritance rights to gay couples

The Court of Final Appeal dismisses the government’s appeals seeking to preserve the discriminatory housing policies and intestacy laws

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Hong Kong’s top court rules in favour of equal housing and inheritance rights for same-sex couples. Photo: Felix Wong

Published: 10:51am, 26 Nov 2024Updated: 5:26pm, 26 Nov 2024

Hong Kong’s top court has upheld three landmark judgments granting equal housing and inheritance rights to same-sex couples, marking another milestone in the LGBTQ community’s fight against discrimination in the city.

The Court of Final Appeal on Tuesday unanimously dismissed the government’s appeals seeking to preserve discriminatory housing policies and intestacy laws, which were declared unconstitutional following three successful judicial challenges.

The Housing Authority, the city’s major public housing provider, said it respected the court’s judgment and would seek legal advice as necessary on follow-up actions.

A government spokesman also said the administration would study the inheritance case’s judgment thoroughly and seek legal advice from the Department of Justice for appropriate follow-up actions.

Litigant Nick Infinger earlier won a challenge over the authority’s refusal to allow him and his same-sex partner to apply for a public rental flat as a family.

Married couple Henry Li Yik-ho and Edgar Ng Hon-lam, who has died, clinched a victory in another judicial review targeting the authority’s decision to bar same-sex spouses from living together in subsidised flats under the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS).