Hong Kong subdivided homeowners may get a grace period of up to three years to rectify their substandard flats, as part of compromises by housing authorities to be announced next week, the Post has learned.
The amended proposal, to be submitted to the Legislative Council next week, will also require landlords to pay a registration fee of between HK$1,000 (US$129) and HK$3,000 to operate legally, according to some insiders.
But landlords could qualify for a discount on the fee if they were among the early birds to register.
“It [the discount] acts as an incentive for landlords to register in advance,” one of the sources said.
The administration is set to discuss its latest proposal with lawmakers on March 31.
The government earlier proposed drafting a new law allowing only registered subdivided flats – known as “basic housing units” – that meet the minimum standards to remain on the rental market.
