Hong Kong housing authorities raising rents by 10% with 3-month waiver starting in October

Housing Authority also adds new types of unwanted behaviour to misdeeds list for tenants, while broadening scope of two existing punishable practices

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Public housing in Sai Wan Ho. Photo: Martin Chan

Published: 4:19pm, 19 Jul 2024Updated: 8:25pm, 19 Jul 2024

Tenants of public housing in Hong Kong will have to pay 10 per cent more a month starting from next year, the maximum increase allowed under a government mechanism, authorities have announced.

Cleresa Wong Pie-yue, chairwoman of the Housing Authority’s subsidised housing committee, said on Friday the increase would come with a three-month waiver when it took effect in October, leaving tenants to start paying the new rate in January.

“We have tried our best, gritting our teeth to allow this waiver arrangement. We hope residents and our tenants will understand this,” Wong said after a meeting that confirmed the rent hike.

The committee chairwoman said the authority had come to the decision to impose the highest permitted level of rent increase as it was under a huge burden from future public housing building plans and its own finances.

Wong added that tenants’ finances and the latest economic situation had been considered as well.

The Housing Authority told lawmakers on Monday that rents would increase between HK$49 (US$6.3) and HK$572, with about 60 per cent of tenants set to pay up to HK$250 more.