How to Rent a Hong Kong Apartment Without Paying Agency Fees

Posted on 11 July, 2026 | By Property852

For most people moving home in Hong Kong, the estate agent is simply part of the furniture. You find a flat you like, an agent shows you round, and when you sign, you hand over a commission on top of your deposit and first month's rent. It is how the market has always worked. But it is not the only way to rent, and for a growing number of tenants and landlords it is no longer the obvious one.

What an agency fee really costs
In Hong Kong the standard letting commission is usually half a month's rent from the tenant and half a month from the landlord, though on some deals it reaches a full month from each side. On a flat at HK$18,000 a month, that is around HK$9,000 out of your pocket before you have moved a single box, and the landlord pays the same again. Add the customary two months' deposit and a month in advance, and the up front cost of moving becomes the real barrier, not the rent itself.

Renting direct from the owner
When a landlord lists a property themselves and deals with tenants directly, that commission disappears for both sides. The saving is not small. For the tenant it can be the difference of a full month's rent over a two year tenancy. For the landlord it means a property that is cheaper to let and, often, a tenant who plans to stay longer because they were not stretched by fees on day one. Direct letting also tends to be more honest. You are talking to the person who actually owns the flat, knows the building, and will be your point of contact if the boiler fails in January.

What to check before you sign
Renting without an agent does not mean renting without care. A few sensible checks protect both sides:

• Confirm the person letting the flat is the owner or is clearly authorised to let it. Ask to see identification and a recent demand for rates or management fees in their name.
• Read the tenancy agreement in full. In Hong Kong the common arrangement is a two year term written as one year fixed and one year flexible, often called a one plus one, with a break clause after the first year.
• Agree the deposit clearly. Two months' rent is the usual figure, refundable at the end of the tenancy less any genuine damage.
• Make sure the tenancy is stamped. Stamping a tenancy agreement with the Inland Revenue Department is inexpensive, and it protects your rights as a tenant if a dispute ever arises.
• Note in writing what is included, from air conditioning units to white goods, and record the condition of the flat with photographs when you move in.

The market is changing
Tenants today are used to booking travel, ordering food and arranging almost everything else without a middleman. Property is slowly catching up. Owners increasingly want to reach renters directly, and renters are happy to skip a fee that buys them very little. That shift is exactly why direct listing platforms exist.

Renting direct on Property852
Property852 was built for precisely this. Owners list their flats themselves, and tenants contact them directly, with no agency commission on either side. You can browse apartments across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories, filter by the area and budget that suit you, and enquire straight away. If you are a landlord with a flat to let, listing it takes a few minutes and puts you in front of tenants who are actively looking.

Renting a home in Hong Kong will never be entirely simple. But paying a large fee for the privilege is no longer something you have to accept.

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