Land & Property
625 cases · January 1900 to July 2026
Overview
Land & Property appears in 625 reported Hong Kong judgments (1900–2026).
Disputes over ownership, sale, boundaries and rights in land and property.
Land and property disputes in Hong Kong concern ownership, sale and purchase, boundaries, and competing rights over land. Typical matters include arguments about title and adverse possession, the enforcement of sale and purchase agreements, easements and rights of way, disputes among co-owners and within incorporated owners of a building, and claims over the beneficial interest in family or jointly held property. The governing framework draws on the Conveyancing and Property Ordinance and long-established principles of land law and equity, including the resulting and constructive trust.
These disputes are spread across several forums. Many are heard in the District Court, which handles land claims within its jurisdictional limits, while higher-value and more complex matters go to the Court of First Instance. Certain building-management and tenancy questions are determined by the Lands Tribunal, and appeals proceed to the Court of Appeal and ultimately the Court of Final Appeal; property questions arising out of matrimonial proceedings can also surface in the Family Court. This spread reflects the different values, subject-matters and statutory routes engaged.
Leading authorities include [2024] HKDC 1211 and [2024] HKCA 304 on ownership and beneficial-interest questions, while the Court of Final Appeal has addressed common intention and estate-related property claims in [2021] HKCFA 19 and building-management questions in [2024] HKCFA 3.
Court Distribution
Across 6 courts.
Key Cases
Most-cited 60 of 625How many Land & Property cases are reported in Hong Kong courts?
625 reported Hong Kong judgments (1900–2026) involve Land & Property.
Which court hears land and property disputes in Hong Kong?
Many claims are heard in the District Court within its jurisdictional limits, with higher-value or more complex disputes going to the Court of First Instance. The Lands Tribunal decides certain building-management and tenancy matters, and appeals lie to the Court of Appeal and the Court of Final Appeal.
What is adverse possession in Hong Kong?
Adverse possession is a doctrine by which a person who occupies land without the owner's consent may, after a sufficient continuous period fixed by statute, defeat the owner's title. The occupier must show factual possession and an intention to possess the land to the exclusion of others.
How does the court decide who owns a jointly held property?
Where legal title does not settle the matter, the court examines the parties' common intention and contributions, applying principles of resulting and constructive trust to determine the beneficial interest each party holds in the property.