General Information

HOS 2024 starts accepting application on 3 October 2024.

Online application opening time: is 8 a.m. on 3 October 2024.

Please note that applications submitted before or after the application period will not be accepted. For submission by post, the submission date is determined by the postmark.

The application deadline of HOS 2024 is 7 p.m. on 23 October 2024.

(The closing time is applicable to HOS Sales Unit and online application. Respective Estate Offices/ District Tenancy Management Offices/ other form receiving offices shall follow their respective office hours.)

For online application, applicants must complete both the application and payment of application fee before the closing time. The closing time will be in accordance with the time of application system.

The application fee of HOS 2024 is HK$290.

Online application: by a valid credit card (VISA, MasterCard, JCB or UnionPay) of the applicant or another person or via Faster Payment System (FPS) through the HA website.

Paper application: by a cheque or cashier’s order made payable to “HONG KONG HOUSING ANTHORITY”.

The Hong Kong Identity Card number and contact telephone number of the applicant should be written at the back of the cheque or cashier’s order.

If the cheque or cashier’s order is dishonoured for whatever reason, the application will be cancelled automatically.

Online application

Applicants can complete the online application through the HA/HD website.

Paper application

Applicants may submit the application with following items by post or by hand to HOS Sales Unit. (Address: Podium Level 1, Hong Kong Housing Authority Customer Service Centre, 3 Wang Tau Hom South Road, Kowloon).

1. Original copy of the completed application form;
2. Copies of Hong Kong Identity Card (HKIC) or Hong Kong Birth Certificate (for persons aged below 11) of applicant and family member(s) listed in application form; and
3. A crossed cheque or cashier’s order for application fee of HK$290 made payable to “HONG KONG HOUSING AUTHORITY” (please write down the HKIC number and contact telephone number of the applicant at the back of the cheque/ cashier’s order).

Online application

Applicants can complete the online application through the HA/HD website.

After submitting an online application, applicants who live in Public Rental Housing units under the HA or Rental Estates under the Housing Society and all family member(s) (if any) listed in the application form is/ are necessary to sign on the application form (except completed digital signing via “iAM Smart+”) and submit the copies of HKIC or Hong Kong Birth Certificate (for persons aged below 11). Staff of the respective Estate Office/ District Tenancy Management Office/ Rental Estate Office will contact the applicant upon receipt of the online application for the arrangement

Paper application

Applicants should submit (i) the original copy of the completed application form; (ii) the copies of HKIC or Hong Kong Birth Certificate (for persons aged below 11) of applicant and family member(s) listed in the application form; (iii) a crossed cheque or cashier’s order for application fee of HK$290 made payable to “HONG KONG HOUSING AUTHORITY” (please write down the HKIC number and contact telephone number of the applicant at the back of the cheque/ cashier’s order); and (iv) the original copy of a “Green Form Certificate - Applicable to Sale of Home Ownership Scheme Flats Only” (if applicable) in the manner as specified below.

Each person can only be listed in one application form of HOS 2024 (either online application/ paper application for White Form or Green Form), otherwise it will be regarded as duplicate application.

Any duplicate applications, no matter online/paper application will render all applications null and void, and application fee paid is non-refundable and non-transferrable under any circumstances.

The proofs for income and asset value are not required to submit at the time of submitting the application form, but please keep details of your income and breakdown of assets to substantiate your declared income and assets for the HA’s further vetting in future if required

The HA will, according to the random order generated by computer from ballot result, notify the applicant who has higher priority by letter or email to submit an“Income and Asset Declaration Form” within a specified period. The applicant and family member(s) listed in the application form have to declare detailed income and assets and submit relevant supporting documents for detailed vetting.

Applicants who opt to receive electronic notification in online applications, all related documents including “Income and Asset Declaration Form (IADF)” and flat selection notification (if any) will be sent by email.

Applicants and family member(s) listed in the application form (if any) can fill in and sign the “IADF” and directly upload the required supporting documents via “iAM Smart+” account. Applicants can browse the website of “iAM Smart” (https://www.iamsmart.gov.hk/) for information.

After application deadline, applicant should submit a written request to the HOS Sales Unit to update the relevant information.

For White Form applicants, request for addition or deletion of member(s) listed in the application form will not be accepted, except for addition of family member(s) due to birth, marriage or the applicant’s spouse/ child(ren) aged under 18 being granted permission to stay in Hong Kong; or for deletion of family member(s) due to death, divorce or having successfully acquired a flat under other subsidised housing schemes and become an owner or member of the acquired flat. Should the request for addition of family member(s) be approved, the application category will still be based on the position as at the closing date of application. Should the request for deletion of member be approved which results in a change of the application category from family applicant to one-person applicant, assessment of income and asset (if applicable) will be based on the limits for one-person applicant. The HA will reassess the eligibility and priority for flat selection based on the latest information of the applicant.

For Green Form applicants, request for addition or deletion of member(s) listed in the application form will not be accepted, except for addition of family member(s) due to birth, marriage or the applicant’s spouse/ child(ren) aged under 18 being granted permission to stay in Hong Kong; or for deletion of family member(s) due to death, divorce or having successfully acquired a flat under other subsidised housing schemes and become an owner or member of the acquired flat. If the applicant household is a sitting Public Rental Housing/ Rental Estate/ Elderly Persons Flats household, prior approval for addition/deletion of family members has to be obtained from the respective estate office/ District Tenancy Management Office/ Rental Estate office before submission of an application to the HOS Sales Unit in wring. Should the request for addition of family member(s) be approved, the application category will still be based on the position as at the closing date of application. Should the request for deletion of member be approved which results in a change of the application category from family applicant to one-person applicant, assessment of income and asset (if applicable) will be based on the limits for one-person applicant. The HA will reassess the eligibility and priority for flat selection based on the latest information of the applicant.

The applicant and/or other family member(s) listed in the application form may do so provided that they meet the eligibility criteria of other schemes. If more than one application are successful, they can only opt for one, and have to cancel all other applications.

HOS 2024 Green Form is for the use by the following applicants:

1. Households of PRH units under the HA (tenants under conditional tenancies or monthly licensees of HA Transitional Rental Housing units or fixed-term licensees of the HA are not allowed to submit application);
2. Households of Group A Rental Estates or Elderly Persons Flats under the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) (households of Group B Rental Estates or monthly licensees of HKHS Transitional Rental Housing units or fixed-term licensees of HKHS are not allowed to submit application);
3. Holders of a valid “Green Form Certificate - Applicable to Sale of Home Ownership Scheme Flats Only” issued by the Housing Department/ the Urban Renewal Authority; and
4. Recipients of Rent Allowance for the Elderly Scheme administered by the HA.

HOS 2024 White Form is for the use by the following applicants:

1. Households living in private housing;
2. Family member(s) of households living in PRH units under the HA or Rental Estates under the HKHS, or any subsidised housing scheme units; and
3. On the closing date of application for this Scheme, flat owners and all their authorised family member(s) under the Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) within 10 years from the date of Assignment for the purchase of their TPS flats from the HA must apply as a whole.

From 24 months preceding the closing date for submitting the application and up to the date of signing the Agreement for Sale and Purchase for the purchase of a flat under the current sale exercise, the applicant and family members (if any) listed in the application form are not allowed to own any domestic properties in HK.

Under the revised Green Form applicants for SSFs eligibility criteria, Public Rental Housing (PRH) tenants and Rental Estate tenants of the Hong Kong Housing Society who apply to purchase SSF as Green Form applicants should not have owned domestic properties in Hong Kong during the period from 24 months preceding the closing date for submitting the application up to the date of signing the Agreement for Sale and Purchase for the purchase of a flat under this sale exercise.

White Form nuclear family and Green Form family applicants could opt to join the “Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members”, apart from general application eligibility, they must also meet below requirements:

• The elderly member must have reached the age of 60 on the closing date of application (i.e. 23 October 2024);
• The elderly member must be a family member listed in the PRH tenancy/ Rental Estate tenancy/ “Green Form Certificate - Applicable to Sale of Home Ownership Scheme Flats Only” (applicable to Green Form applicants);
• At least one elderly member must become an owner or a joint owner of the purchased flat. He/ She should have the mental capacity (if necessary, the HA may require the elderly member to provide a recent medical proof) to understand the nature and effect of all application documents relating to this sale exercise and legal documents, such as Agreement for Sale and Purchase / Deed of Assignment and so on, which he/ she signs;
• If the elderly member is married, his/ her spouse must also be included in the same application unless supporting documents are submitted to prove that they are legally divorced, or the spouse does not have the right to land in Hong Kong or deceased. To prove that the spouses are divorced, the divorcee must present the certificate of making Decree Nisi Absolute (Divorce) and the date of divorce must be on or before the closing date of application, otherwise their spouse must be included in the same application form;
• The applicant and family member(s) listed in the application form are willing to live together with the elderly member in the purchased flat. At least one family member listed in the application form must live in the purchased flat with the elderly member; and
• Except for permanent departure, death or other compassionate reasons recommended by the Director of Social Welfare, the name of the elderly member cannot be deleted from the record of owners kept by the HD in future.

White Form nuclear family and Green Form family applicants could opt to join the “Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members”, apart from general application eligibility, they must also meet below requirements:

• Family applicants with babies born on or after 25 October 2023 and aged three or below on the closing date of application; or with member who is pregnant for 16 weeks on the closing date of application are eligible. The pregnant should provide a valid medical certificate specifying the expected date of delivery (i.e. on or before 9 April 2025) upon the request of the HA. If there are two or more children aged three or below, the family will still be eligible until the youngest child reaches the age of three;
• For one-person applicants with family member who is pregnant for 16 weeks on the closing date of application and opt to join the Scheme, the family member must be listed in the PRH tenancy/ Rental Estate tenancy/ “GFC - Applicable to Sale of Home Ownership Scheme Flats”;
• If for whatever reasons the newborn concerned is no longer included in the HOS application, the flat selection priority for this family applicant will be cancelled. The HA will re-assess the application category and priority for flat selection based on the latest information of the applicant;
• All newborn babies who have successfully purchased subsidised housing through the “Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme” are not eligible to participate in another “Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme” applications again.

After the ballot, the HA will issue letters or emails to applicants who have higher priority requesting them to submit the completed “Income and Asset Declaration Form” and the supporting documents to the HA within 10 working days for detailed vetting to determine whether individual applicants meet the eligibility criteria and their priority for flat selection. If the invited applicants fail to submit supporting documents within the specified period of time, or are confirmed to be ineligible after detailed vetting by the HA, their applications will be cancelled.

The HA may invite the applicants for an interview if necessary. At the interview, applicants may be required to provide other supporting documents to prove that they still meet the eligibility criteria. If the vetting procedures are impeded, the vetting results and priority for flat selection will be affected or delayed.

Application declaration period: 1 October 2023 - 30 September 2024

Flat selection declaration period: 6 to 12 months before the date of signing Agreement for Sale and Purchase

The applicant and all family members (including those aged below 18 and with income) are required to declare the average monthly income (including income in and outside Hong Kong). Please refer to Annex A and B of Application Guide for the types of income that should be declared, calculation method and documents required.

Application declaration date: 2 October 2024

Flat selection declaration period: the date of signing Agreement for Sale and Purchase

Please refer to Annex A and B of Application Guide for the types of income that should be declared, calculation method and documents required.

In view of the numbers of flats and flat selection priority of eligible applicants under HOS 2024, the HA will issue flat selection notification to eligible applicants in writing or by email to the HOS Sales Unit at an appointed time to select their flats and complete all the purchasing formalities according to their priority for flat selection. If required, the HA may also arrange applicants to undergo eligibility vetting on their appointed day of flat selection.

If an applicant or any family member who intends to become a joint owner (including the elderly member) is not able to turn up in person to complete the relevant formalities, he/she is required to obtain prior written approval from the HOS Sales Unit and sign a valid Power of Attorney at a solicitor firm to authorise a family member aged 18 or above listed in the application form to complete the purchase on his/her behalf. If the applicant is the only person listed in the application form, he/she may authorise a relative to complete the purchase on his/her behalf, provided that the authorised person is aged 18 or above and is holding a valid Power of Attorney. Applicants shall submit a written application to HOS Sales Unit as early as possible before the date of flat selection so as to avoid delay in completing the purchase formalities due to the time required to process relevant documents. Applicants need to bear and be responsible for all the fees required for obtaining the Power of Attorney.

Since flat selection notification is sent out before the flat selection date, the HA and the HD do not guarantee that flat(s) will be available for selection by the time the applicants show up at the appointed time. If the allocated quotas/ flats for their application category have been exhausted/ sold out, the flat selection appointment arranged for them will be withheld. The application fee paid will not be refunded and cannot be transferred.

If an applicant needs to change his/her appointment (the appointment can only be postponed but cannot be advanced), he/she has to seek the HOS Sales Unit’s prior approval in writing. Change of appointment can only be effected upon approval, the applicant’s order of priority for flat selection will be deferred accordingly.

The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) Subsidised Housing Committee endorsed on 17 November 2023 the relaxation of the mortgage arrangements for subsidised sale flats (SSFs) by extending the maximum mortgage default guarantee period and mortgage repayment period under the Deeds of Guarantee (DoGs) being provided to purchasers of SSFs and authorised financial institutions participating in the provision of mortgage loans for such flats.

Primary market

• to extend the maximum mortgage default guarantee period from 25 years to 30 years for Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) flats;
• to extend the maximum mortgage repayment period from 25 years to 30 years for new Home Ownership Scheme (HOS)/ Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (GSH) projects and TPS flats sold in the primary market; and
• the relaxation is applicable to new HOS/GSH projects and TPS flats sold in the primary market with completion date of the sale and purchase and the relevant legal charge falling on or after 1 January 2024. New HOS/GSH projects refer to the HOS/GSH projects with occupation permit issued on or after 1 December 2023.

The applicant must become the owner of the flat purchased. The applicant, however, may choose to share the ownership with one of the adult family members listed in the application form provided that the ownership is in the form of joint tenancy not inheritable by a third party. This family member is required to turn up in person with the applicant at the HOS Sales Unit for completion of necessary formalities.

For applicants who opt to join the “Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members”, at least one elderly member with aged 60 or above must be the owner or a joint owner of the purchased flat and no more than three persons are allowed to be joint owners of the flat. The elderly member and the family member (if applicable) who intend to become the owner or a joint owner of the purchased flat are required to turn up in person at the HOS Sales Unit together with the applicant for completion of necessary formalities.

Note: For Green Form application, this family member must be included in the PRH tenancy/ Rental Estate tenancy or “GFC - Applicable to Sale of Home Ownership Scheme Flats Only”.

The purchaser of flat may, at the time of signing the Agreement of Sale and Purchase (ASP) at the HOS Sales Unit, pay via FPS or bring along with him/her a cashier’s order in the sum of specified amount below for paying the deposit. If the amount of such cashier’s order is less that 5% (GF) or 10% of the purchase price, any outstanding balance should be paid by a cashier’s order, a personal cheque or via FPS upon signing of the ASP, payment in cash or company cheque will not be accepted. Alternatively, the purchasers may settle the full amount of deposit via FPS upon signing of the ASP.

1. The purchaser is advised to engage a separate firm of solicitors of his/ her choice to act for him/ her in relation to the transaction. However, the contents of the conveyancing documents will be determined by the HA. If the purchaser appoints a separate firm of solicitors to act for them in relation to the transaction, that firm of solicitors will be able to give independent advice, such as alienation restrictions, stamp duties, etc. to the purchaser at every stage of the purchase. The purchasers have to pay the legal costs and expenses of their own solicitors. Purchasers are required to notify the HA the name and contact details of their appointed solicitors within reasonable time before completion or other time to be specified by the HA.
2. If the purchaser does not appoint a separate firm of solicitors of his/ her choice to act for him/ her in his/ her completion of the purchase, he/ she will execute the assignment at the office of the solicitors of the HA. The solicitors of the HA will only interpret the contents of the assignment to him/ her and attest his/ her execution, and will not act as the purchaser’s solicitors in the transaction, and will not advise the purchaser on the ASP or any other matters in connection with the transaction. In such cases, the legal costs to be paid to the HA’s appointed solicitors and other legal costs and expenses for executing the transaction shall be borne by the purchaser (not by the HA). The solicitors of the HA, not acting for the purchaser in the transaction, will not be able to protect the purchaser’s interest. The purchaser should contact the HA’s appointed solicitors for the details of the solicitor fee, other legal costs and expenses.

If the price of the recovered TPS flat is over one million dollars, purchasers must appoint a separate firm of solicitors of their choice to act for them in relation to the transaction. Such firm of solicitors should not be the firm of solicitors appointed by the HA for the concerned flat. If the price of the recovered TPS flat does not exceed one million dollars, purchasers may either appoint a separate firm of solicitors of their choice to act for them in relation to the transaction; or consult with the HA’s appointed solicitors to act for them in relation to the transaction.

1. If the purchasers appoint a separate firm of solicitors to act for them in relation to the transaction, that firm of solicitors will be able to give independent advice, such as alienation restrictions, rights and obligations, stamp duties, etc. to the purchasers at every stage of the purchase. The purchasers have to pay the legal costs and expenses of their own solicitors. Purchasers are required to notify the HA the name and contact details of their appointed solicitors within reasonable time before completion or other time to be specified by the HA.
2. If the price of the flat does not exceed one million dollars, the purchasers can may consult with the HA’s appointed solicitors to act for them in relation to the transaction. The solicitors will be acting jointly for the HA and the purchasers under such arrangement. If a conflict of interest arises between the HA and the purchasers, the HA’s appointed solicitors may not be able to protect the purchasers’ interests. For this type of joint representation cases, the purchasers are required to pay the solicitor fee plus all and other legal costs and expenses of the solicitor for completion of the sale and purchase. The purchaser should contact the HA’s appointed solicitors for the details of the solicitor fee, other legal costs and expenses.

• If the purchaser and/ or family members listed in the application form is/ are on the household register/ licence of PRH/ Rental Estates under the HA, the HKHS or household record of other subsidised housing schemes, he/ she/ they shall move out from such unit(s) and have his/ her/ their name(s) deleted from the respective household register or record from the date of signing an ASP, please contact relevant Estate Offices/ District Tenancy Management Offices/ relevant organisations for details. If the purchaser and/ or family members listed in the application form is/ are the whole household of sitting PRH/ Rental Estates tenants/ licencees and their spouses have to surrender their PRH/ Rental Estates units to the HA or the HKHS.
• For Light Public Housing (LPH) occupant(s) who successfully purchased a flat as a result of this sale exercise, he/ she/ they shall have his/ her/ their name(s) deleted from the respective household register or record and shall move out from such unit within 60 days from the date of signing the ASP. If the LPH occupant(s) who successfully purchased a flat as a result of this sale exercise are the whole household of sitting LPH occupant(s), the licencee(s) of the concerned LPH unit(s) shall upon (i) the date of taking over keys of the flat; or (ii) the 10th working day from the date of execution of the Deed of Assignment of the flat inclusively, whichever is earlier, submit a Notice-to-Quit to the HB. The LPH occupant(s) shall terminate the Occupation Licence Agreement of his/ her/ their unit(s) within 60 days and shall return his/ her/ their LPH unit(s) in vacant possession to the HB on or before the day the licence is terminated.

According to the Agreement for Sale and Purchase signed between the purchaser and the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA), the flats should be used only for private residential purposes and for occupation by the purchaser and all members of the family named in the application form. If without the prior written consent of the HA, any family member, including the purchaser, ceases to actually or permanently live in the flat for whatever reason(s), the HA has the right to require the purchaser to assign the flat back to the HA. The purchaser shall forthwith upon the written notice of the HA assign the flat back to the HA at the costs and expense of the purchaser.