Housing-sector representatives said on Friday they believe fears over taking on a heavier financial burden had led to a drop in interest among public housing tenants in buying their flats.

That came after the latest survey by the Housing Authority, carried out last year, of people at 39 estates to gauge their interest in buying the flats they are living in at a discounted price under the Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS).

12 percent of respondents expressed interest in owning the flats – a drop of five percentage points compared to the previous survey.

Anthony Chiu, executive director at the Federation of Public Housing Estates, told an RTHK radio programme that tenants had also expressed concern about the age of the buildings.

"Some of the buildings are over 30 years old, while the youngest ones are around 20 years old," he said.

"Tenants may be concerned about taking on additional responsibilities, such as paying off a mortgage or the management fees, once they have bought one.

"They are not going to buy the flat just because it is cheaper as they would also be responsible for the building’s repair and maintenance costs."

Wilson Or, who sits on the authority's subsidised housing committee, for his part, noted that worries about affordability and economic uncertainty also affected the tenants' decision.

Many of the tenants who do not wish to purchase their rental units are elderly and have been firm in their decision not to do so, he said.

With TPS having been shelved about 20 years ago, Or suggested the administration be clear about maintenance and repair arrangements.

It is crucial, he said, to gather the opinions of residents from time to time so that TPS can be used to better meet their needs.