With Hong Kong’s outrageous property market, it can sometimes feel like creative landlords are trying to outdo each other by seeing how much rent they can squeeze out of incredibly tiny spaces.
Recent examples abound: From this 40-square-foot shoebox room in Yau Ma Tei advertised in January for HK$2,900 a month (US$370), to this 130-square-foot, HK$5,800 (US$741) per month flat listed in Yuen Long this month, where the mattress covered the kitchen sink.
And now, unfortunately, we have another contender.
The landlord of this 150 square-foot apartment in Mong Kok is trying to cram 15 — yes 15 — tenants into his flat, reported Apple Daily.
More specifically, spaces in one of five three-person bunk beds is being offered for rent.
According to the listing on property site 591, which was cited by the newspaper, the apartment in question is in the Far East Consortium Building on Nelson Street in Mong Kok, a short walk away from Mong Kok MTR station.
As well as five bunk beds, the room has a fridge, an air-conditioner, hot water, Wi-Fi, and a shared wet room.
However, bed spaces can range from HK$1,500 to HK$1,600 (US$191 to US$204) for the top bunk; HK$1,700 (US$217)for the middle bunk; and HK$1,800 to HK$1,900 (US$230 to US$242) for the bottom bunk.
Assuming all 15 bunk beds are occupied in this apartment, this means the landlord could generate up to HK$25,000 (US$3,190) in rent each month.
Apple Daily managed to speak to one of the tenants of that apartment, an 88-year-old man surnamed Chan who says there’s barely any space in his bed and every time he gets up he hits his head, so he has to lie down all the time.
Chan told the newspaper that none of his grown-up children wanted to take him in. Instead, they helped him rent one of the beds in the apartment.
“They said they wanted to put me in an old people’s home, and I didn’t want to,” says Chan, who adds that sometimes he doesn’t want to bother his flat mates for the bathroom, so ends up walking 10 minutes to the nearest public toilet just to relieve himself.
According to the Bedspace Apartments Ordinance, landlords need to apply for a licence if an apartment they are renting out has at least 12 bedspaces. Failure to do so can incur a fine of HK$10,000 (US$1,280) and two years in jail.
