Public housing residents and applicants convicted by court for making false statements
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In a total of four separate prosecution cases, two public PRH residents and two PRH applicants who did not declare to the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) their ownership of domestic property/land in Hong Kong or landed property on the Mainland were convicted by the Court for making false statements knowingly or neglecting to furnish information specified in declaration forms.
The information of the four cases is provided below:
Case 1
A PRH resident living in Lee On Estate in Shatin did not declare in 2024 Income and Assets Declaration Forms that he owned land/property in Hong Kong. A subsequent investigation revealed that this resident owned a portion of the ownership of six pieces of lands in North District, New Territories at the material time.
Case 2
A PRH resident living at Lung Hang Estate in Shatin did not declare in a 2024 Income and Assets Declaration Form that he owned domestic property in Hong Kong. A subsequent investigation revealed that this resident had owned a domestic property in Tuen Mun with another person under a joint tenancy at the material time.
The PRH residents in Cases 1 and 2 were prosecuted for neglecting to furnish information specified in the declaration forms, contrary to Section 27(a) of the Housing Ordinance. They were convicted on April 28 this year in Shatin Magistrates' Courts. Given the gravity of the offence, the defendants were respectively sentenced to a fine of $30,000 and two months' imprisonment (suspended for 24 months), and a fine of $15,000 and two weeks' imprisonment (suspended for 12 months). The HD had already earlier recovered one subject PRH flat and has issued a Notice-to-Quit to another subject tenant.
Case 3
A PRH applicant applied for PRH in 2017. She did not declare on the form of Applicant's Declaration submitted to the HD in 2021 her ownership of domestic property in Hong Kong during the period from her application for PRH to the date she submitted the form. A subsequent investigation revealed that she owned a domestic property in Hung Hom during the said period and she would not be eligible for PRH application.
Case 4
A PRH applicant applied for the PRH in 2016. She did not declare on the form of Applicant's Declaration submitted to the HD in 2023 her ownership of landed property at the date she submitted the form. A subsequent investigation revealed that she owned a landed property in Guangdong Province when she was submitting the form. She would not be eligible for PRH application.
The PRH applicants in Cases 3 and 4 were prosecuted by the HD for making a false statement in respect of their PRH applications, contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Housing Ordinance. They were convicted in the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts on April 28 this year. Given the gravity of the offences, the defendants were both sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment (suspended for 24 months) and were fined $8,000 and $5,000 respectively. The relevant PRH applications have been cancelled.
The spokesman reiterated that all households living in PRH should complete their Income and Asset Declaration Forms accurately, as doing so provides the foundation for the assessment of rent and their eligibilities for continuing residence. Before furnishing particulars specified in the requisition required by the HA, households should read the content and completion guidelines of the Income and Assets Declaration Forms carefully and compute their income and assets in accordance with the methods specified. Otherwise, they may be liable to prosecution for making a false statement, contrary to Section 26(1)(a) of the Housing Ordinance. If convicted, the maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months. Or they may be liable to prosecution for refusing or neglecting to furnish information as specified in a declaration form, contrary to Section 27(a) of the Housing Ordinance. If convicted, the maximum penalty is a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for three months. The HD will take action to recover the undercharged rent incurred due to the inaccurate information furnished by the households, or even recover their PRH units.
The spokesman also reminded all PRH applicants that if any persons are convicted by the courts for making a false statement during the PRH application, contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Housing Ordinance, the maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months. The PRH application concerned will be cancelled while any allocated PRH unit will be recovered by the HD.
Ends/Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Issued at HKT 17:36
Issued at HKT 17:36
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