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South China Morning Post
9 hours ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Every effort must be made by Hong Kong authorities to deliver flats on time
The urgent need to provide more public housing, to free tens of thousands of people from long waits in substandard accommodation, has long been recognised in Hong Kong and remains a priority. So the sudden suspension of a development intended to provide 8,300 flats is always going to raise eyebrows. Advertisement The Housing Bureau has confirmed that plans to build eight residential towers in Fanling have temporarily been put on hold. This follows an investigation revealing the 'complex geology' of the site, which would cause construction costs to soar by 60 to 90 per cent and take 10 months longer than expected. The bedrock drops more than 80 metres below ground, 120 metres at its deepest. This would make the foundation work much more expensive. It has, therefore, been decided to prioritise other 'more cost-effective' housing projects in the area. The decision is a pragmatic one given the circumstances. There must be no let-up in efforts to provide public housing, but the costs need to be kept under control. Crucially, the suspension will not stop the government meeting the target of 308,000 public housing units in the next 10 years. Other projects in the area are to be expedited to make up for the loss of the 8,300 flats and the bureau says it has not abandoned the project. Advertisement But legitimate questions are being asked about the suspension. The draft outline zoning plan was approved in December 2022. At the time, no insurmountable technical problems were found.
RTHK
20-06-2025
- Business
- RTHK
Substandard flats' accreditation fee 'not low at all'
Substandard flats' accreditation fee 'not low at all' Homeowners can have the accreditation fee waived or reduced if they complete the rectification works early. File photo: RTHK A concern group of subdivided flat owners said on Friday the proposed accreditation fee for homeowners is not low at all. Under its plan to regulate substandard flats, the Housing Bureau has proposed a one-year period to allow landlords to register their flats for rectification starting from March. The proposed HK$3,000 accreditation fee for each unit can be waived or reduced if they complete the rectification and alteration works before a 36-month grace period expires in February 2030. A report by professionals is also required to prove that the property meets the minimum standards: for example, each unit has to be at least eight square metres in size and has to come with an enclosed toilet. Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, Hayson Chan, chairman of the Hong Kong Basic Housing Units Operators Association, said the grace period provides sufficient time for homeowners to make the necessary changes. However, he is concerned about the cost of accreditation. "For example, splitting one flat into four would mean HK$3,000 multiplied by four," Chan said. "But when you add in the certification fees charged by professionals, and from what I hear from some professionals, they all said the fees would be at least tens of thousands of dollars. "I also saw that the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors had stated that the minimum cost ranges from HK$15,000 to HK$30,000. "So, the total will add up to at least HK$40,000 to HK$50,000." Chan hopes that the government can offer more details as to how the certification has to be carried out. As for whether landlords would pass on the additional costs to tenants, he said that would depend on the market situation. The bill has been gazetted, and it will be tabled to lawmakers next month.
RTHK
19-06-2025
- Business
- RTHK
Landlords can list subdivided flats from March 2026
Landlords can list subdivided flats from March 2026 The Housing Bureau has submitted proposals on how to regulate shoebox units to the legislature. File photo: RTHK Subdivided unit landlords will from as early as March be able to register their flats for rectification, as the government moves to regulate such properties. The Housing Bureau on Thursday submitted to the legislature proposals on how to regulate the shoebox flats to only allow those that meet official standards to remain on the market. According to authorities, enforcement of these standards is expected to begin on March 2027. A landlord who leases a subdivided flat without valid registration and accreditation can face a maximum fine of HK$300,000 and up to three years in prison. But before this, these landlords will have a year – from March 2026 to February 2027 – to register their homes for rectification. Once registered, they will have a 36-month grace period until February 2030 to make changes to meet a number of requirements, such as a minimum size of eight square metres and get accreditation to prove that their properties meet the standards. To prevent the "procrastination of alteration works" and encourage early rectification, the bureau could reduce or waive the HK$3,000 accreditation fee for owners who complete works early. Landlords would be barred from signing new tenancy contracts during the six months leading to the end of the grace period, officials added. The government aims to table the bill on July 9 and have the new law passed before the end of the current Legislative Council term.
South China Morning Post
19-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong landlords urged to register subdivided flats ahead of 2027 deadline
Hong Kong landlords of subdivided flats will be able to register their properties for rectification to official standards as early as March next year, with authorities planning to enforce a new law in 2027, the city's first legal regime to govern the notorious shoebox housing issue. The Housing Bureau submitted its regulatory proposals to the Legislative Council on Thursday. This paves the way to eradicate substandard housing, allowing properties that achieve official accreditation to remain on the rental market. Authorities have also introduced measures to prevent landlords from rectifying their properties at the last minute. The law was expected to help improve Hong Kong's image, a bureau spokesman said. 'The government is determined to press ahead with the regulation in a practical manner; the new law is not just cosmetic works,' he said. To make it work, the authorities had lengthened the grace period and allowed some proper windows facing a light well, he said.
South China Morning Post
16-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's shelved plan for 8,300 public flats to face 90% higher cost per home
Hong Kong housing authorities have revealed that the now-suspended plan to build 8,300 public flats in a northern town will face higher costs of up to 90 per cent for each home and require an extra 10 months to complete if it were to press ahead. The Housing Bureau said on Monday that the postponement was prompted by its ground investigation that the site had 'complex geology with a deep bedrock layer'. 'The authority stresses that it has not abandoned the project,' the bureau said. It added that geological issues were expected to bring a longer-than-normal construction period and significant costs for foundation works. The bedrock level had been found at depths exceeding 80 metres (262 feet) below ground in general, with the deepest recorded at 120 metres. If the site were to be used for public housing construction, deep foundation work would be involved, it said. The suspension of the development, including its site formation and infrastructure works, in Fanling was revealed in a document the Housing Department and the Civil Engineering and Development Department submitted to the North District Council last week for a meeting on Monday. According to the paper, the Fanling Area 17 site, spanning about 5.47 hectares (13.5 acres) of both government and private land, is located to the east of Ling Shan Road and Jockey Club Road, south of Ma Sik Road and west of Fan Leng Lau Road. It currently houses the Fan Garden Police Driving and Traffic Training Centre.
