LCQ18: Handling nuisance cases involving residents of public rental housing
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Question:
Under the existing policy, residents of public rental housing (PRH) are not permitted to install closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) outside their flats or in public corridors. Offenders are liable to a warning or point allotment under the Marking Scheme for Estate Management Enforcement. However, it is learnt that quite a number of residents have installed recording devices outside their flats or in public corridors without authorization in order to ensure security or prevent nuisance caused by neighbours. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of complaints received by the Housing Department (HD) from PRH residents about nuisance caused by neighbours outside their flats in the past three years, and among them, the number and proportion of cases not pursuable due to insufficient evidence;
(2) of the number of complaints received by HD involving unauthorized installation of CCTVs by PRH residents outside their flats in the past three years, and among them, the respective numbers of cases in which warning letters were issued by HD or penalty points were allotted; and
(3) in order to protect the personal and property safety of PRH residents, whether HD will consider establishing an application and approval mechanism to allow authorized installation of recording devices by residents outside their flats in compliance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance on the premise of ensuring that the cameras do not capture public corridors?
Reply:
President,
Public rental housing (PRH) residents are required to comply with the terms of the tenancy agreement as well as the policies set by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA). Otherwise, their tenancy may be terminated. According to the terms of the PRH tenancy agreement, tenants are prohibited from causing any disturbance or nuisance inside or outside the rented flat to other residents. Should a PRH tenant breach the tenancy agreement by causing nuisance to others, the Housing Department (HD) will take tenancy control actions against the offending tenant in accordance with the terms of the PRH tenancy agreement or the Marking Scheme for Estate Management Enforcement in Public Housing Estates (the Marking Scheme). Serious cases will result in termination of the tenancy and recovery of the flat.
In response to the question raised by the Hon Leung Man-kwong, our reply is as follows:
(1) In the past three years (2023 to 2025), the HD received a total of around 500 cases of requests for assistance or complaints from PRH tenants concerning neighbours causing nuisance outside their flats, amounting to an average of around 160 cases per year. The HD has taken appropriate follow-up actions on all relevant cases.
Generally speaking, upon receipt of such complaints, the HD will immediately deploy staff to the scene to conduct investigations and to gather details of the case from relevant residents concerned, with a view to taking appropriate follow-up actions. If the nuisance is classified as a misdeed under the Marking Scheme (for example, indiscriminate disposal of refuse outside a flat), the HD will issue warnings or allot penalty points to the non-compliant tenants according to the Marking Scheme. For cases of neighbourhood disputes, if the case stems from differences in living habits, a lack of communication or mental health issues, the estate staff will proactively mediate to improve neighbourhood relations and, where necessary, refer the case to other government departments or relevant social welfare organisations for counselling and assistance.
(2) and (3) In the past three years (2023 to 2025), the HD received a total of around 250 enquiries or complaints concerning PRH tenants installing closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) outside their flats, amounting to an average of around 80 cases per year. According to the HA's prevailing policy, PRH tenants are not allowed to install CCTV cameras in public areas outside their flat entrance (such as common corridors or stairwells). If a PRH tenant is found to have installed CCTV cameras outside the flat entrance and that such installation causes nuisance to other residents, the HD will immediately require the tenant to remove the equipment. If the nuisance persists and there is sufficient evidence to substantiate the case, the HD will take actions in accordance with the terms of the tenancy agreement, including termination of the tenancy and recovery of the flat. As regards installation of recording devices inside the flat, provided that the devices do not involve any alteration to the flat structure or the fixtures provided by the landlord, in principle, no application needs to be made to the HD.
According to the Guidance on the Use of CCTV Surveillance issued by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data in 2025, any organisation or member of the public intending to use a CCTV system should take into account a range of factors (including the lawfulness and fairness of collecting personal data through CCTV systems; the necessity, proportionality and transparency of the use of CCTV systems; as well as requirements relating to the retention of recordings and security measures), so as to ensure that personal data privacy is protected in compliance with the relevant provisions of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.
The HD currently has no plan to establish an application and approval mechanism for PRH tenants to install CCTV outside their flats to avoid adversely affecting neighbourhood relations. The HD has, where appropriate, installed CCTV in common areas of the buildings to enhance security and safeguard the safety of residents. The HD will display prominent notices in the areas under surveillance to inform residents of the relevant arrangements.
Ends/Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Issued at HKT 15:47
Issued at HKT 15:47
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