The Housing Department (HD) thanked the Office of the Ombudsman for appreciating in its direct investigation report, the initiative of the Housing Authority (HA) and the HD in the work of combating tenancy abuse.

Releasing the "Government's Work in Combating Abuse of Public Housing Resources" report today, the Ombudsman highlighted that the HA has achieved remarkable results through the sequential launching of various intensified measures and enhanced Well-off Tenants Policies from mid-2023.

Since the current-term Government assumed office, the HA and HD have commenced a series of reviews to explore enhancements to the measures combating tenancy abuse.

These enhanced measures have been successively implemented since mid-2023, including requiring all public rental housing (PRH) tenants to declare in batches starting from October 2023 their occupancy status and whether they own a domestic property in Hong Kong every two years since admission to PRH; and establishing a data matching and verification mechanism with the Land Registry to conveniently check the property ownership of PRH tenants.

Other measures include setting up a task force composed of retired disciplinary force officers to assist in the investigation of rather serious and hidden suspected cases and the provision of training on detection and investigation techniques to frontline staff; and implementing an award system for property management companies and security services contractors to encourage them to assist in detecting tenancy abuse.

In 2022-23 and 2024-25, the HA recovered over 7,000 PRH flats due to tenancy abuse and breaches of tenancy agreements or housing policies, equivalent to a large housing estate.

With the Report Public Housing Abuse Award just launched on January 15, the department hopes to gather more accurate intelligence on tenancy abuse for taking action.

To strengthen the deterrent effect and gradually reduce the abuse of public housing resources, the Government is also actively exploring amendments to the Housing Ordinance to criminalise the act of serious tenancy abuse, targeting to have the bills passed in the Legislative Council in mid-2025.

The HD thanked the Ombudsman for the affirmation and recognition of its work in combating tenancy abuse, adding that it will review and study the relevant recommendations in detail and continue to enhance the existing measures to combat tenancy abuse and actively explore various new methods to ensure the optimal use of public housing resources.