Editorial | Rising cost of misery in Hong Kong’s subdivided flats
- Survey finds law aimed at protecting poor tenants is falling short with rents increasing, homes getting smaller and few convictions
The new law seeking to regulate partitioned living spaces was never meant to be a long-term solution to the city’s housing woes. It nonetheless comes with hopes that it will at least help curb abuses and offer some respite for the vulnerable.
More than a year has passed since the law came into effect but tenants are apparently not much better off.
The enforcement figures speak for themselves. As of last month, the government had received 1,524 cases of suspected breaches, but only three people were convicted, with fines ranging from HK$2,000 to HK$18,600 (US$254 to US$2,369). The outcome falls way short of expectations.
Additionally, subdivided flats are seemingly becoming smaller and more expensive, despite rent increases being capped at 10 per cent for every two-year lease period. According to figures from landlords for last year, about 450 homes some seven square metres (75 sq ft) or less had a median monthly rent of HK$574 per square metre, 14.8 per cent higher than the level in a 2020 survey.
Similar increases were also found among units between 13 and 20 square metres, with rent per square metre rising from HK$345 to HK$395 during the period concerned. Only flats between seven to 13 square metres recorded a HK$21 fall to HK$450 per square metre.