Well-off tenants could be given less time to vacate public flats in Hong Kong as Abby Choi murder sparks greater scrutiny of policy loopholes

Tenants who exceed asset or income limits get a 12-month grace period to move out of their public rental flats and find homes in the private market

Housing Authority policies came into focus after it emerged ex-father-in-law of slain model Abby Choi had luxury home in his name while listed as owner of subsidised flat

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The waiting time for public housing in Hong Kong was 5½ years as of December. Photo: SCMP

Published: 9:46pm, 9 May 2023Updated: 11:24pm, 9 May 2023

Well-off tenants who rent public flats in Hong Kong may be given less time to move out under a proposal being considered by government housing advisers seeking to plug a loophole and speed up the turnover of homes.

Tenants who exceed asset or income limits currently receive a 12-month grace period to vacate their public rental flats and look for new homes in the private market. But the year-long period is seen by many as a loophole as tenants can transfer their wealth so they fall within the limits and then remain in their public flats.

A Housing Authority insider on Tuesday said most of the body’s members had raised concerns about the grace period at a brainstorming session last week, and expressed wishes to shorten the 12 months to plug the loophole.

The Housing Authority’s headquarters in Hong Kong. Photo: SCMP

“Many hope to prevent residents from taking advantage of the period to transfer their assets by tightening the grace period. It can avoid the abuse of public housing resources,” the source said, adding the government hoped to come up with a proposal for advisers by this month.

The authority’s session came a week after it banned public housing tenants who own a property from buying subsidised flats. The move came after it emerged that Kwong Kau, former father-in-law of slain model Abby Choi Tin-fung, had a HK$73 million (US$9.3 million) home in his name while listed as the owner of a subsidised flat.

Under the existing policy, households living in public rental flats for 10 years are required to declare their income and assets once every two years.

Public housing residents who own a flat or whose income and assets exceed the prevailing limits set for normal tenants by five times or 100 times, respectively, will be asked to move out.