Owners of flats under the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) / Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) / Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Pilot Scheme / Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (collectively "subsidised sale flats") may, subject to assignment restrictions, choose to resell their flats on the HOS Secondary Market to tenants of estates under the HA and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS), recognised residents of HA interim housing, persons issued with a Green Form eligibility certificate by the HA, or persons issued with a White Form "Certificate of Purchase Eligibility", without paying a premium.

Owners may obtain an application form for a "Certificate of No Objection to Sale" (HD875C) from any Estate Office / District Tenancy Management Office or the HOS Secondary Market Unit (tel: 3162 0680). After completing the form, submit it together with the following documents to the relevant Estate Office / District Tenancy Management Office:

• A crossed cheque or cashier's order for the application fee (currently HK$930, payable to "Hong Kong Housing Authority"; please write the applicant's Hong Kong Identity Card number on the back of the cheque/order)
• Copy of assignment deed (if ownership has changed, submit copies of all assignment deeds from the first to the most recent)
• One copy each of the most recent water and electricity bills issued by utility companies within six months before the application date

Applicants may also submit an online application via the HA website, GovHK or "iAM Smart" (requires an activated digital signing "iAM Smart+" account or a valid personal digital certificate). Online applicants may pay the application fee by FPS. Upon approval, the HA will issue a "Certificate of No Objection to Sale" to the subsidised sale flat owner.

Owners who successfully sell a subsidised sale flat and their spouses may not rejoin any housing subsidy scheme under the HA (including public rental housing, HOS, Private Sector Participation Scheme, Home Purchase Loan Scheme, HOS Secondary Market, TPS) or any housing subsidy scheme under the HKHS.

For more details, please refer to the Housing Department flat assignment webpage, or download application forms.

Restrictions on reselling HOS flats in the HOS Secondary Market or assigning them on the open market depend on the year of first sale. The following is a summary (please refer to HA announcements for details):

Click here for ways to assign an HOS flat

The following is a summary of commonly used forms. For the latest versions and downloads, please refer to the Housing Department forms webpage.

HOS Secondary Market Scheme

For Occupied Owners Only

For Use Between Signing Agreement and Assignment Deed Only

After the assignment restriction period expires

After the assignment restriction period expires, HOS owners may pay a premium to the HA and then sell, let or otherwise assign the flat on the open market. The assignment restriction period is generally 5 years for HOS flats; 10 years for flats first sold in 2019–2021; and 15 years for flats first sold in 2022 onwards (as stated in the land lease and assignment deed).

Subject to conditions, owners may enter into a sale and purchase agreement for the flat, but the agreement must stipulate that the premium assessed by the Housing Department must be paid before completion of the assignment deed and within 28 days from the date of the agreement (or within the period specified by the Housing Department). Selling, letting or assigning the flat without paying the assessed premium constitutes a breach of the Housing Ordinance. Upon conviction, a fine of HK$500,000 and imprisonment for one year may be imposed, and the resale or assignment is void.

Restrictions on reselling HOS flats in the HOS Secondary Market or assigning them on the open market depend on the year of first sale. The following is a summary (please refer to HA announcements for details):

Click here for ways to assign an HOS flat

The following is a general procedure summary; resale restrictions for newly released flats may differ — please refer to HA announcements.

In June 1997, the HA established the "HOS/PSPS Secondary Market" (HOS Secondary Market) to enable existing public housing tenants and Green Form certificate holders to purchase eligible HOS flats. This arrangement increases HOS turnover to meet society's demand for subsidised home ownership. More importantly, existing public housing tenants and Green Form certificate holders gain an additional route to home ownership, while the HA can release more rental flats to those in genuine need.

The operation of HOS Secondary Market transactions is broadly similar to the open market — buyers and sellers may negotiate freely or transact through estate agents. Buyers must bear responsibility for the premium payable when selling the flat on the open market in future. Click here for HOS Secondary Market selling matters:

Selling an HOS Flat on the HOS Secondary Market

Owners of flats under the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) / Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) / Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Pilot Scheme / Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (collectively "subsidised sale flats") may, subject to assignment restrictions, choose to resell their flats on the HOS Secondary Market to tenants of estates under the HA and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS), recognised residents of HA interim housing, persons issued with a Green Form eligibility certificate by the HA, or persons issued with a White Form "Certificate of Purchase Eligibility", without paying a premium.

Owners may obtain an application form for a "Certificate of No Objection to Sale" (HD875C) from any Estate Office / District Tenancy Management Office or the HOS Secondary Market Unit (tel: 3162 0680). After completing the form, submit it together with the following documents to the relevant Estate Office / District Tenancy Management Office:

• A crossed cheque or cashier's order for the application fee (currently HK$930, payable to "Hong Kong Housing Authority"; please write the applicant's Hong Kong Identity Card number on the back of the cheque/order)
• Copy of assignment deed (if ownership has changed, submit copies of all assignment deeds from the first to the most recent)
• One copy each of the most recent water and electricity bills issued by utility companies within six months before the application date

Applicants may also submit an online application via the HA website, GovHK or "iAM Smart" (requires an activated digital signing "iAM Smart+" account or a valid personal digital certificate). Online applicants may pay the application fee by FPS. Upon approval, the HA will issue a "Certificate of No Objection to Sale" to the subsidised sale flat owner.

Owners who successfully sell a subsidised sale flat and their spouses may not rejoin any housing subsidy scheme under the HA (including public rental housing, HOS, Private Sector Participation Scheme, Home Purchase Loan Scheme, HOS Secondary Market, TPS) or any housing subsidy scheme under the HKHS.

For more details, please refer to the Housing Department flat assignment webpage, or download application forms.

Selling a TPS Flat on the HOS Secondary Market

From the 3rd year after the date of the first assignment deed (depending on the year of first sale and assignment restrictions), TPS flat owners may choose to resell their flats on the HOS Secondary Market to eligible persons without paying a premium.

Owners may obtain an application form for a "Certificate of No Objection to Sale" from any Estate Office / District Tenancy Management Office or the HOS Secondary Market Unit, or download the application form here. Document and fee requirements are the same as for HOS flats above.

Owners who successfully sell a TPS flat and their spouses may not rejoin any housing subsidy scheme under the HA (including public rental housing, HOS/PSPS, Home Purchase Loan Scheme, HOS Secondary Market, TPS) or any housing subsidy scheme under the HKHS.

1) HOS Flats with 5-Year Restriction Period Expired

The premium for a flat is assessed based on the full market value of the flat at the time of premium payment, using the formula specified in the Housing Ordinance Schedule — comparing the full market value stated in the first assignment deed (or the most recent assignment deed from the HA to the purchaser, for resale flats only) with the original purchase price. In other words, the premium equals the discount on the original price brought to present value. Click here for the premium calculation method. If the HOS flat is jointly owned, each owner must sign the premium application form with the same signature as on the sale and purchase agreement; if owned by one person, one signature suffices. If an owner authorises a relative to handle the application, a written authorisation must be provided listing the names and identity card numbers of the authoriser and authorised person and the property address; each owner must sign the authorisation with the same signature as on the sale and purchase agreement.

2) Submitting the Premium Application Form

Submit the completed application form and other required documents. Flats with an expired 5-year assignment restriction period should use form HD1065C; TPS flats still within the 5-year restriction period should use form HD1066C. Applicants must fill in a "daytime contact telephone number" on the form so that staff can arrange a flat inspection and valuation. Send or deliver the completed form together with a copy of the deed and a crossed cheque or cashier's order for the handling fee (currently HK$6,780, subject to periodic adjustment as announced by the HA) to the relevant Tenancy Management Office, or to the Premium Assessment Section, Support Services Division 4, 1/F, Block 2, HA Headquarters, 33 Fat Kwong Street, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon (tel: 2712 2712). Cheques or cashier's orders should be made payable to "Hong Kong Housing Authority" with the property address for which premium is sought written on the back. The handling fee is non-refundable; if premium is paid within the specified period, the fee may be deducted from the premium. Applicants should check that all documents are complete, as incomplete applications will not be processed further. The assessed premium is currently valid for two months; after expiry, if premium has not been paid, it lapses. To request re-assessment, applicants must resubmit the application form and pay the handling fee again.

Owners may also submit an online application via the HA website, GovHK or "iAM Smart" (requires an activated digital signing "iAM Smart+" account or a valid personal digital certificate). After submitting the online application, please send or deliver the crossed cheque or cashier's order for the handling fee to the Premium Assessment Section, Support Services Division 4. For details, please refer to the Housing Department premium payment arrangement webpage.

3) Awaiting Valuation and Premium Notice from the Housing Department (or its appointed surveyors)

Arrange a valuation appointment with the Housing Department (or its appointed surveyors). A representative will arrange to inspect and value the flat for which premium is sought. From receipt of the application form and all required information, it generally takes about one month on average for the applicant to receive the premium assessment notice. For estates that have recently reached the restriction expiry date, assessment may take longer due to higher application volumes.

4) Paying the Premium or Lodging an Appeal

Paying the premium Owners must pay the premium within two months from the date of the premium assessment notice; otherwise they must reapply and pay a handling fee of HK$6,780 (as announced by the HA).

Objecting to / appealing the premium assessment Under the Housing Ordinance, if an HOS owner disagrees with the market value assessed by the Housing Department (or its appointed surveyors), a formal appeal must be lodged with the Lands Tribunal within 28 days from the date of the premium assessment notice; alternatively, the owner may object to the Housing Department (or its appointed surveyors) within the same period. Late objections/appeals will not be accepted. Initial premium assessments and subsequent reviews follow the above procedures and objection/appeal deadlines. If an objection has been lodged with the Housing Department (or its appointed surveyors) or an appeal with the Lands Tribunal, the HOS owner may pay the premium within the period specified in the premium assessment notice. The flat may only be sold, let, mortgaged or otherwise assigned after premium is paid. If an appeal has been lodged with the Lands Tribunal but the hearing has not yet taken place, the Housing Department (or its appointed surveyors) may revise the assessed premium at any time before the Tribunal's decision. After the appeal is concluded, if the assessed premium is reduced, the reduced amount will be refunded; if increased, the owner must pay the additional amount to the HA.

5) Issuance of Certificate of Removal of Assignment Restrictions

Collect and register the Certificate of Removal of Assignment Restrictions after paying the premium. After the HOS owner pays the premium (by cashier's order or crossed solicitor's cheque), the Housing Department will issue a Certificate of Removal of Assignment Restrictions confirming that the premium required under the Housing Ordinance Schedule has been paid and that assignment restrictions on the flat have been removed. The HOS owner should arrange with a solicitor to register the certificate at the Land Registry.