Hong Kong subdivided flat owners ‘may pass on costs to tenants under new rules’
As city moves to legislate minimum standards, industry players also worry that more operators will exit market due to stiffer penalties

Hayson Chan Hin-hay, chairman of the Hong Kong Basic Housing Units Operators Association, told a radio programme on Friday that certification costs alone for a flat subdivided into four units could be as high as HK$50,000 (US$6,340).
The planned legislation, which was gazetted on Friday, marks an important step in creating a much-awaited legal regime to eliminate substandard subdivided flats, with enforcement expected to start in 2027.
Under the authorities’ plan, subdivided flats must fulfil a set of standards laid down for “basic housing units”, which include a minimum size of 86 sq ft, a ceiling height of 2.3 metres (7.5 feet), proper windows and at least one toilet for each unit.
Landlords will be allowed to register their subdivided flats with authorities as early as next March and remain on the rental market if they receive accreditation.

The government will charge landlords a registration fee of HK$745 and a HK$3,000 accreditation fee per subdivided unit. But authorities will also introduce various fee waivers to discourage them from rectifying their properties at the last minute.