The impact of tenancy control on housing precarity in Hong Kong: A panel study of subdivided unit residents

Abstract

In Hong Kong, numerous low-income households reside in subdivided units (SDUs), experiencing poor housing conditions, compromised living standards, and housing precarity, driven by the micro-segregation resulting from housing policies and unaffordable housing prices. To address these challenges, the Hong Kong government has initiated a tenancy control scheme. This study assesses the effectiveness and implications of this tenancy control scheme. Quantitative data were collected from individuals across pre-test and post-test stages. The pre-test was conducted before implementing tenancy control and the post-test ten months thereafter. The pre-test collected 303 valid data entries, whereas the post-test collected 202. The changes over time were analysed through scrutiny. The implementation of tenancy control had varied effects on SDU tenants, as it effectively safeguarded their interests and bolstered their confidence by establishing new lease agreements. Tenancy control emerged as a strategy to address social inequality in the housing sector by influencing housing precarity and expenditure. The findings reveal that the implementation of tenancy control has reduced housing precarity, particularly in terms of the confidence in handling rental issues and the right to renew the lease.