Will Hong Kong’s proposed subdivided housing shake-up put landlords out of business?
- Plans for shake-up have also left some tenants living in subdivided flats worried about finding new homes due to ineligibility for temporary housing
Hong Kong’s tiny subdivided homes, notorious for poor living conditions, are expected to be regulated after the city leader looks at proposals from a cross-departmental task force this month.
Retiree Amy Ng* bought a 230 sq ft flat six years ago in a 60-year-old building in Sham Shui Po, one of Hong Kong’s poorest districts.
Looking for a regular source of income in retirement, she split the space into two subdivided flats of 100 sq ft and 130 sq ft to rent. She figured if the building was acquired for redevelopment, the compensation would be a windfall.
Ng, aged around 60, said she spent HK$200,000 (US$25,607) on the renovations. Unlike other subdivided flats notorious for hygiene and fire hazards, she said hers had fire-resistant walls, separate toilets and kitchens.
She added that she got along well with her tenants, who were single occupants or couples. She lowered the rent by about a fifth to HK$3,000 and HK$5,000 through the hard times of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I don’t want to profiteer. I just want a reasonable income,” she said.