Public housing rents to rise 10% starting 1 October

Increases could be as low as HK$49 to HK$572.

Hong Kong’s public housing rents will rise 10% beginning 1 October– an average increase of HK$230 per month on average.

Increases could be as low as HK$49 to as high as HK$572.

About 60% of the tenants will have a monthly rent increase of no more than HK$250, whilst 2% of tenants will have to pay no more than HK$100 extra in monthly rent, according to an announcement from the Housing Authority (HA).

HA will provide a special relief measure for tenants by waiving the extra rent payable in the first 3 months following the rent adjustment.

This will result in an HK$575m of rental income foregone for the authority.

The 10% increase is based on the 10% cap on the rate of rent increase. It also takes into account the income index of 2023, which was 10.73% higher than in 2021, based on a report by the Commissioner for Census & Statistics. 

The authority’s housing committee has endorsed the 2024 rent review of public rental housing (PRH).  PRH rent is reviewed every two years.

HA said that it will notify tenants in writing one month before the 1 October rent adjustment.

Separately, the government announced that it will create a support centre for minority property owners affected by the new compulsory sale regime, Development Secretary Bernadette Linn announced.