Hongkongers to be offered HK$3,000 for information on tenants abusing public flat scheme

Authorities will give HK$3,000 (US$386) to any resident who provides information about tenants abusing public housing privileges that leads to the recovery of the flat, as the government steps up efforts to prevent misuse of the scheme.
The Housing Bureau said on Wednesday (Oct 30) it would launch the “Cherish Public Housing Resources Award Scheme” in January next year.
“We will offer rewards to non-anonymous informants who provide concrete intelligence that leads to the successful recovery of abused public rental housing units by the Housing Department,” authorities said in a paper submitted to the Legislative Council.
The bureau added that participants must consent to join the scheme and authorities would conduct a preliminary review and interview to verify the accuracy of the information.
Participants can provide information through various channels including online forms and hotlines.
A scheme encouraging property management and cleaning companies to report tenants suspected of abusing flat rules has been in place since last September.
About 5,000 public flats have been taken back over the past two years, housing officials said earlier.
According to Director of Housing Rosanna Law Shuk-pui, the number of flats reclaimed was equivalent to a medium-sized public estate, with a construction cost of about HK$5 billion.
This article was first published on SCMP.