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Vivian Au

Hong Kong’s ombudsman has urged housing authorities to do more to hold offenders legally accountable for the abuse of public flats amid a prosecution rate of 4.2 per cent last year, even as the government proposes stiffer penalties.
The watchdog said on Wednesday that the city had recorded 12,407 cases of public housing being misused last year, but only 518 involved prosecutions.
Ombudsman Jack Chan Jick-chi said his office had reviewed the prosecution work of the Housing Authority, the city’s major provider of public flats.
“Some abuse cases are found with enough evidence, yet the prosecution period has already passed,” he said.
The ombudsman found annual prosecution rates in the past seven years ranged from 1.7 per cent to 4.2 per cent.
Chan added that his office had suggested 31 areas for improvement to the authority and the Housing Society, the city’s second-largest provider of public homes.
He said the ideas included exploring the establishment of channels with mainland China and Macau to verify whether tenants owned properties in those jurisdictions.
The office also recommended authorities offer a “reward programme” for property management companies and security personnel to improve their involvement in combating abuse.
Chan noted there was a lack of specific legislation allowing the Housing Society to prosecute offenders, noting it relied on lease agreements to reclaim flats.
He said the Housing Authority should review how to discover and gather sufficient evidence to increase prosecution and conviction rates.


Chan said some serious cases had only resulted in flats being taken back.
He also recommended that the Housing Society and Housing Authority review whether there was any duplication of resources or the possibility of revamping the arrangement of routine home visits and other measures to combat the abuse of rental flats.
The government earlier proposed amending the Housing Ordinance to tackle certain cases of abuse.
Under one amendment, dividing a public flat and subletting the space to other tenants or using it for commercial purposes would be classified as a serious abuse of public housing.
The proposed maximum penalty covers a fine of HK$500,000 (US$64,230) and a one-year jail sentence. But the proposal, if passed into law, will not be imposed retroactively.
The proposed changes will be submitted to lawmakers for discussion next month and are expected to take effect before mid-2026.
In a reply to the Post, the Housing Department said it would review and study the relevant recommendations in detail and continue to improve existing measures.
“We will actively explore various new methods to ensure the optimal use of public housing resources,” a spokesman said.
The Housing Society also said it would study each recommendation and actively adopt feasible solutions.
The society said it would also utilise smart technology, communicate with relevant government departments and further explore the establishment of channels with mainland and Macau authorities to improve the effectiveness of investigating public housing abuses.
Lawmaker Scott Leung Man-kwong urged the local government to discuss with the provider how to use legal measures to strengthen the fight against the abuse of the latter’s public housing.
Anthony Chiu Kwok-wai, executive director of the Federation of Public Housing Estates, suggested the Housing Authority and the Housing Society increase rents for tenants found to be seriously abusing public flats, such as those with long-term vacant homes and who had been asked to move out.


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The government earlier proposed amending the Housing Ordinance to tackle certain cases of abuse of public flats. Photo: Jelly Tse

Public housing abuse tip-offs may double with reward scheme: Hong Kong minister

Wang Tau Hom Estate, a public housing estate in Hong Kong. Photo: Jelly Tse

Minister Winnie Ho has said the reward scheme for whistle-blowers is going to cost the government around HK$3 million. Photo: Edmond So

Hong Kong to begin handing out HK$3,000 rewards for identifying public housing abuse

Un Chau Estate in Cheung Sha Wan. The Housing Authority will launch the reward scheme next Wednesday. Photo: Jelly Tse

How is Hong Kong clamping down on abuse of public housing? The Post outlines the tactics

Queen’s Hill Estate in Fanling, where an inspection revealed a tenant’s luxury car, which exposed their true financial position. Photo: Edmond So

Director of Housing Rosanna Law vows a clampdown on people who cheat the public housing system will continue. Photo: Edmond So

Tenants in public housing now have to make an income and asset declaration every two years, rather than once a decade. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

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Hong Kong

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Watchdog finds Housing Authority had prosecution rate of 4.2 per cent last year for cases of public flats being misused


Watchdog finds Housing Authority had prosecution rate of 4.2 per cent last year for cases of public flats being misused.


Hong Kong property

Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong society