Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho said on Sunday that the government is considering extending a grace period for landlords to convert subdivided flats, after new laws are introduced to regulate the compact homes.

Officials had initially proposed a transitional period of up to two years for the registration of such flats, known as "basic housing units", which will need to meet a number of requirements such as a minimum size.

Citing public views received during a consultation exercise which concluded earlier, Ho said some respondents expressed the need for more time to make the changes.

She said extending the grace period to three years could be an option.

"Time-wise, it is helpful to the market - so tenants can move out and renovation work can take place and people have better options on where to live," she said.

"All these will help the situation. So I think a three-year grace period is something that can be considered."

Ho added that the government is analysing the public’s views and will make adjustments to the legal proposals accordingly.

Separately, the housing chief said officials will soon put in place a pilot scheme at two public housing estates by installing sensors at the doors of flats occupied by elderly residents, in order to better ensure their safety.

The scheme comes after a recent spate of cases involving elderly people who died alone in their homes for some time before being discovered.

She said dozens of households at Sheung Lok Estate in Ho Man Tin and Wan Hon Estate in Kwun Tong have signed up for the trial.

"The sensor records movements. The elderly person can decide who to send such information - it's not to the estate's management, it can be his or her son, daughter or other family members. It's up to the tenant," Ho said.

The minister stressed the sensors don't have cameras and won't detect what's inside the flat.