Owners of HOS, Tenants Purchase Scheme, Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Pilot Scheme and Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme flats (collectively, subsidised sale flats) may, subject to the transfer restrictions, resell their flats in the HOS Secondary Market without paying premium to eligible HA or Housing Society estate tenants, authorised residents of HA Interim Housing, Green Form Certificate holders, or White Form Certificate holders.

Owners may obtain an application for a Certificate of Availability for Sale (HD875C) from estate offices / District Tenancy Management Offices or the HOS Secondary Market Scheme Office (Tel: 3162 0680). Return the completed application to the relevant office with:

• A crossed cheque or cashier’s order for the application fee (currently $930), payable to “Hong Kong Housing Authority”, with the applicant’s HKID number written on the reverse
• A copy of the deed of assignment; where ownership has changed, copies of all deeds from the first to the most recent assignment
• One copy each of a water bill and electricity bill issued within six months before the application date

Applications may also be submitted online through the Housing Authority website, GovHK or iAM Smart, subject to the relevant digital-signature requirements. Online applicants may pay by FPS. Following approval, the Housing Authority issues a Certificate of Availability for Sale.

Owners and their spouses who successfully sell a subsidised sale flat are no longer eligible for HA or Housing Society housing subsidy schemes, including public rental housing, HOS, the Private Sector Participation Scheme, the Home Purchase Loan Scheme, the HOS Secondary Market Scheme and the Tenants Purchase Scheme.

For details, see the Housing Department page on selling flats, or download the application forms.

Restrictions on resale in the HOS Secondary Market or transfer in the open market depend on the year the flat was first offered for sale. The following is a summary; please refer to Housing Authority announcements for details.

Learn about ways to sell an HOS flat

This is a summary of commonly used forms. For the latest versions and downloads, visit the Housing Department forms page.

HOS Secondary Market Scheme

For Owners in Occupation Only

For Use between Signing the Sale Agreement and Executing the Deed of Assignment

After the restriction period expires

After the transfer restriction period, an HOS owner may pay the premium to the Housing Authority and then sell, let or otherwise transfer the flat in the open market. The usual restriction period is five years; it is 10 years for flats first offered from 2019 to 2021, and 15 years for flats first offered from 2022 onwards, subject to the land lease and deed of assignment.

An owner may enter into a sale and purchase agreement subject to payment of the assessed premium before completion of the assignment and within 28 days of the agreement date, or such period as specified by the Housing Department. Selling, letting or transferring before payment of the assessed premium breaches the Housing Ordinance and may result in a $500,000 fine, one year’s imprisonment and an invalid transaction.

Restrictions on resale in the HOS Secondary Market or transfer in the open market depend on the year the flat was first offered for sale. The following is a summary; please refer to Housing Authority announcements for details.

Learn about ways to sell an HOS flat

This is a general process summary. Resale restrictions for newly offered flats may differ; please refer to Housing Authority announcements.

The HOS Secondary Market was established to enable public rental housing tenants and Green Form Certificate holders to buy eligible HOS flats. It gives eligible households another route to home ownership while releasing public rental housing for those in need.

Transactions broadly follow open-market practice: buyer and seller may negotiate directly or transact through an estate agent. The buyer remains responsible for any premium payable on a future open-market sale. Learn more about selling in the HOS Secondary Market:

Selling an HOS Flat in the Secondary Market

Owners of HOS, Tenants Purchase Scheme, Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Pilot Scheme and Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme flats (collectively, subsidised sale flats) may, subject to the transfer restrictions, resell their flats in the HOS Secondary Market without paying premium to eligible HA or Housing Society estate tenants, authorised residents of HA Interim Housing, Green Form Certificate holders, or White Form Certificate holders.

Owners may obtain an application for a Certificate of Availability for Sale (HD875C) from estate offices / District Tenancy Management Offices or the HOS Secondary Market Scheme Office (Tel: 3162 0680). Return the completed application to the relevant office with:

• A crossed cheque or cashier’s order for the application fee (currently $930), payable to “Hong Kong Housing Authority”, with the applicant’s HKID number written on the reverse
• A copy of the deed of assignment; where ownership has changed, copies of all deeds from the first to the most recent assignment
• One copy each of a water bill and electricity bill issued within six months before the application date

Applications may also be submitted online through the Housing Authority website, GovHK or iAM Smart, subject to the relevant digital-signature requirements. Online applicants may pay by FPS. Following approval, the Housing Authority issues a Certificate of Availability for Sale.

Owners and their spouses who successfully sell a subsidised sale flat are no longer eligible for HA or Housing Society housing subsidy schemes, including public rental housing, HOS, the Private Sector Participation Scheme, the Home Purchase Loan Scheme, the HOS Secondary Market Scheme and the Tenants Purchase Scheme.

For details, see the Housing Department page on selling flats, or download the application forms.

Selling a Tenants Purchase Scheme Flat in the Secondary Market

From the third year after the date of the first assignment, subject to the year the flat was first offered and its transfer restrictions, Tenants Purchase Scheme owners may resell their flats to eligible purchasers in the HOS Secondary Market without paying premium.

Owners may obtain a Certificate of Availability for Sale application from estate offices / District Tenancy Management Offices or the HOS Secondary Market Scheme Office, or download the form. The documentation and fee requirements are the same as those above.

Owners and their spouses who successfully sell a Tenants Purchase Scheme flat are no longer eligible for the HA or Housing Society housing subsidy schemes.

1) HOS Flats after the Five-year Period

The premium is assessed from the full market value at the time of payment and the original market value and purchase price stated in the first deed of assignment, or in the most recent HA resale assignment where applicable. In essence, it reflects the current value of the original discount. View the premium calculation method.Joint owners must each sign the application in the same manner as the sale and purchase agreement. If an owner appoints a representative, written authorisation stating both parties’ names, HKID numbers and the property address is required.

2) Submit the Premium Application

Submit the completed application and all required documents. Use HD1065C for flats whose five-year restriction period has expired, and HD1066C for Tenants Purchase Scheme flats still within that period. Include a daytime contact number for inspection and valuation arrangements. Send or deliver the form, a copy of the title deed and the required fee (currently $6,780, subject to HA revision) to the relevant District Tenancy Management Office or the Premium Assessment Section, Support Services Sub-section 4, Housing Department, 1/F, Block 2, HA Headquarters, 33 Fat Kwong Street, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon (Tel: 2712 2712). Make the crossed cheque or cashier’s order payable to “Hong Kong Housing Authority” and write the property address on the reverse. Fees are non-refundable but may be deducted from the premium if payment is made within the specified period. Incomplete applications will not be processed. An assessed premium is currently valid for two months; a new application and fee are required for reassessment.

Owners may also apply online via the Housing Authority website, GovHK or iAM Smart, subject to the relevant digital-signature requirements. After applying online, return the crossed cheque or cashier’s order for the fee to the Premium Assessment Section. See the Housing Department premium-payment arrangements for details.

3) Valuation and Premium Assessment Notice

The Housing Department or its appointed surveyor will arrange an inspection and valuation of the flat. Once all documents are received, the assessment notice is generally issued in about one month, although applications for newly eligible estates may take longer.

4) Pay the Premium or Lodge an Appeal

Payment of premium The owner must pay within two months of the assessment notice, otherwise a new application and fee are required.

Objection / appeal against the assessment An owner who disputes the assessed market value must lodge a formal appeal with the Lands Tribunal within 28 days of the assessment notice, or submit an objection to the Housing Department or its appointed surveyor within the same period. Late objections or appeals are not accepted. After the premium is paid, the flat may be sold, let, mortgaged or otherwise transferred. If an appeal changes the assessment, any reduction is refunded; any increase must be paid to the Housing Authority.

5) Certificate for Removal of Alienation Restrictions

After payment by cashier’s order or crossed solicitor’s cheque, the Housing Department issues a certificate confirming that the premium has been paid and the alienation restrictions have been removed. Owners should arrange with their solicitor to register the certificate at the Land Registry.