By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-01-20 13:36:27 | Updated at 2025-01-20 17:02:18
3 hours ago
New title deeds in Hong Kong will reflect the true owner of land and properties under a government legislative proposal, a change set to take effect in two years and intended to prevent adverse possession.
Under the existing system, buyers of land and property must confirm ownership as the names shown on current title deeds may not represent the real owners, thereby requiring further verification from lawyers.
Adverse possession allows a person to gain ownership of a land by continuously occupying it in a manner that contradicts the owner’s rights, typically after a period of 12 years for private land from when the right to take action began.
Adverse possession allows a person to gain ownership of a land by continuously occupying it in a manner that contradicts the owner’s rights, typically after a period of 12 years for private land from when the right to take action began.
“We will adopt a phased approach by implementing the new proposal mentioned and deal with the conversion of existing land at a subsequent stage,” the Development Bureau said.
The bureau added that the new title deed will apply to land acquired by way of land sale, by private treaty grant and by land exchange.
