BHU Certification:
17+ Questions Landlords Ask Most

If your unit has been subdivided into 2 or more independent units for rental purposes, and the property is a private residential building or the residential portion of a mixed-use building, certification is generally required. If the entire unit is rented as a single tenancy, or the property is a commercial or industrial building, certification is not required.

PRH and HOS properties are governed by separate regulations and fall outside the scope of this Ordinance. However, subletting of PRH and HOS units is itself prohibited — that is a separate compliance issue.

No. The Ordinance only applies to subdivided flats used for rental purposes. However, if you plan to rent the unit in future, it is advisable to obtain certification at the appropriate time.

Standard cases take 14–18 weeks. Complex cases (structural issues, incomplete old building plans, extensive renovation required) may extend to 24 weeks or more.

5 years. Renewal can be applied for within the 6 months before expiry.

Structural alterations or changes that affect compliance items (fire compartmentation, ventilation, independent utility metering) are not permitted. General furniture replacements and repainting do not affect certification.

Yes. Multiple units under the same landlord in the same building can be submitted together, which reduces some documentation costs.

It depends heavily on the unit's condition. For a unit with 4 subdivided rooms, the total cost of an all-inclusive service (assessment + renovation + certification + management) is typically HKD 120,000–300,000. A specific quote will be provided after an on-site assessment.

Yes. We offer staged payments: 30% upon signing / 40% upon completion of renovation / 30% upon receipt of certification.

There is currently no dedicated government subsidy scheme. However, the cost of compliance renovation is a capital expenditure and can be factored into the cost basis when the property is sold.

Yes. An inspection by an Authorized Person (AP) is a professional service that requires payment. However, upon signing the full service agreement, this fee is fully credited against the total — so there is no additional cost.

Yes. We provide a full cross-border proxy service. You only need to sign a power of attorney (which can be notarised locally), and we handle all remaining documentation on your behalf.

Mainland landlords: at a local notary office. Overseas landlords: at a local solicitor or at the Hong Kong Consulate General in your country. We provide a template and translation service.

We recommend that we hold the original in safekeeping (in a solicitor's secure vault). You will receive a high-resolution scan. The original can be dispatched to you at any time upon request.

Absolutely. Post-certification management is an optional add-on service. You may self-manage, but you will need to ensure the unit remains compliant throughout the 5-year certification period (e.g. annual fire equipment inspections).

If you have engaged us to manage the property, we handle all rent recovery. Our arrears rate over 8 years of operations has been below 2%, which is primarily achieved through rigorous tenant vetting.

During vacancy, only a "compliance maintenance fee" applies, which is significantly lower than the regular monthly management fee. The full management fee only begins once the unit is tenanted.