Hong Kong Welcome
Housing
Looking for somewhere to live?
If you’re looking for a place to live, the best person to help you is an estate agent. Choose a local one if you know where you want to live. Choose a national one if you are not yet decided. Most estate agents cover sales and lettings and advertise their properties on national property websites such as RightMove or On the Market
In addition, Shelter has excellent information about all aspects of housing and homelessness
Renting
There are advantages to renting. You can test out if the area is right for you without committing a large financial amount. Your landlord will be responsible for fixing the property when things go wrong. You can often move in to an available property at short notice. Find out more information here about how to find a property, questions to ask your landlord or letting agent, the checks your landlord will make and the documents you will need.
Guide - How to rent Guide - How to rent (Chinese Version)
Please find other resources for guidance on renting below
Find out about your rights if you rent from a private landlord here.
Find out about repairs in rented housing here.
Use this online tool to check how to get repairs done in your home.
Guide - Property Maintenance Guide - Property Maintenance (Chinese Version)
Buying
The main advantages to buying are the stability and the investment. But you will need to show paperwork at the point of offer to prove you have the financial means to proceed. If you are new to the UK it may be hard to access finance until you have established a credit rating. Expect the process to take several months. You can find out more about buying a home here:
It is important you maintain your home to a good standard to retain its value. Regular maintenance checks are required and defects should be repaired. For more information read the property maintenance guide below.
Guide - Property Maintenance Guide - Property Maintenance (Chinese Version)
Home improvements
Building projects require planning and management and a systematic approach can be very helpful to avoid issues. Citizens Advice has a step by step guide here.
If you need a tradesman to help with repairs it is good to ask friends and neighbours for recommendations or you can use an online directory to help find someone suitable. Citizens Advice has advice on how to find a trader and check you can trust them here.
If you have a problem with building work or home improvements, Citizens Advice has information about what to do here.
St Albans UK house renovations Facebook page has useful information to help with building projects.