# Looking for apartment that is less-expensive and with good International schools



## elixir.sg (Jun 20, 2012)

Hello,

I have an offer from HK for 40k HKD pm. We are family of 3 a kid of 6 year old, office will be at Sheung Wan area. I need help from people living in HK, if they can suggest me a place/ district where I should start search for my apartment and International school. I have been contacting International School and all seems to be full for current year. 

They told me that I have to first decide the region where I will be renting apartment and then should decide on school then. 

Now my worry is that 4-5 International Schools that I have contacted are all full for current year.

So wondering if anyone can help me with region where I should start my search for apt, through forums I came to know Tung Chung is cheap area, which International School will fall in this area, or else if anyone can suggest anyother school and area for living, it will be really helpful.

Looking forward for your response.
Sam


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## elixir.sg (Jun 20, 2012)

elixir.sg said:


> Hello,
> 
> I have an offer from HK for 40k HKD pm. We are family of 3 a kid of 6 year old, office will be at Sheung Wan area. I need help from people living in HK, if they can suggest me a place/ district where I should start search for my apartment and International school. I have been contacting International School and all seems to be full for current year.
> 
> ...


Anybody please.....help....looking at google map, wondering if I can get cheap apartment and good international school with fees around 4-6k HKD per month near apartment. Any body having any idea please share.....

How do I search International school region-wise, is there any central website for each regions?


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## toojoon (Jun 19, 2012)

elixir.sg said:


> Anybody please.....help....looking at google map, wondering if I can get cheap apartment and good international school with fees around 4-6k HKD per month near apartment. Any body having any idea please share.....
> 
> How do I search International school region-wise, is there any central website for each regions?


I would tread very carefully, if I were you. I am a NET teacher working in HK. Been here for 3 years. I pay $9,400 per month for a small 2 bedroom flat in Tsuen Wan New Territories. This rent figure is cheap, thanks to a lease I signed up 18 months ago. The apartment is modern and does include access to a clubhouse with gym and swimming pool. There are NO international schools around here, but luckily I don't have kids either.
Many ex-pat teachers and other ex-pats report difficulty finding suitable schools for their kids here. There is limited choice! The Education Bureau and other officials are at odds as to whether there is a problem or not. As long as there are spaces in schools, the parents are expected to accept it - it doesn't matter that travel time is unreasonable, or fees are too high, or that the school isn't actally up to managing the needs of the child!
The increasing number of mainland children coming here to be educated is putting further pressure on school vacancies. There is a system for applying for enrolment into schools, but I'm afraid many ex-pats find it unhelpful. Some more schools to cater for international students are on the planning agenda, but is that a help to parents who need the schools now??

I am sorry if I haven't answered your immediate question.....The HK Education Brureau has government website and lists of schools are posted there I believe.


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## JWilliamson (May 31, 2010)

An apartment for $9,400 per month for a small 2 bedroom flat in Tsuen Wan New Territories is inexpensive also due to it being far away from Hong Kong. The commute from the new Territories to the city or even Kowloon will take at least 45 minutes and this is not including the walking you will have to do.


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## hkexpat (Jun 26, 2012)

elixir.sg said:


> Hello,
> 
> I have an offer from HK for 40k HKD pm. We are family of 3 a kid of 6 year old, office will be at Sheung Wan area. I need help from people living in HK, if they can suggest me a place/ district where I should start search for my apartment and International school. I have been contacting International School and all seems to be full for current year.
> 
> ...


Hi,
I'm a UK expat, with 3 kids. I work full time in central hong kong.
The ESF Schools are International - they have a corporate entry scheme, which closes around the 30/6/12. So you will need to hurry. Your company will need to sponsor their place to gain this late entry option. Fees approx HKD 6k pm.

I dont think personally you should initially go off HK Island itself until you are settled and know the "ropes". That was my bosses advise, and thankfully i followed his guidance. 
The ESF schools have a school bus service to and from school which is priceless.

We live on the Eastern side of HK Island, as we needed open spaces, grass and trees! Sui Sai Wan is where we are. Island Resort, is the name of our building. Great for family life. We have pools, gym, tennis courts etc all in our complex.
You can take express bus to central in 25-30 mins travel. Or a short mini-bus journey to the MTR station. The school bus also picks up from our apartment block.

We have a 1142 sq ft apt - we pay HKD25k pm for 3 beds, 2 baths.
You can get 2 beds for about 15k pm upwards.

Hope that helps?


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## elixir.sg (Jun 20, 2012)

*Thank you all for your response*

Thanks so much toojoon, JWilliamson and hkexpat for detailed info. 

*@toojoon ->* Thanks for info on the house rent in Tsuen Wan New Territories, I believe by now getting the 2 BR apt on this price will be tough. I had a question though, when signing lease, then is it 1 month rent deposit is needed or 2 months rent deposit is needed. Also what do I owe a landlord, in case I had to break a lease before lease-term?

*@JWilliamson ->* thanks so much for clarifying the commute time from NT to Sheung Wan. I was hoping that total will be 40-45 minutes.

*@ hkexpat ->* Thank you so much for your advise on searching apartment in island itself first, yes I will do so once I am there, company is providing 2-3 weeks of initial stay to search apt for myself. So I will arrive 1 week before my joining date, so that I can look around for apartments and school for my son.
About corporate entry scheme for ESF schools I couldn't find any such details on their website. For this do company need to pay any amount (refundable or Non-refundable) to school? If so then how much is it? Sorry to ask you, but I searched on their website first and I couldn't find this info there. Though I saw that apart from annual tuition fees, new student has to pay HKD 10,000 deposit and refundable Capital Levy HKD 25,000. 

*hkexpat* if you see my this post, kindly tell me more about corporate entry scheme, as I spoke to ESF school last week and only thing that they told me about was, filling an application form even though right now I am not sure of the region I will find for myself. They didn't tell anything about cut-off dates for application or corporate entry scheme. I am gonna call them again tomorrow and find out about it. 

Thank you all for the pointers. If anybody else has more info/ advises then please do share.


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## hkexpat (Jun 26, 2012)

*Schools etc*

We used the corporate entry last year. Your cOmpany would need to Pay a non- refundable deposit for this type of entry.
Give the ESF a call as last year it was only an option until 30/6.

Yes you need to Pay the 25k deposit to ESF and the school fees at the start. The deposit is re-paid when u leave the school.

On the apartment side we also stayed in a hotel initially. You are expected to pay 2 months deposit & 1st months rent at the get go + half of the estate agents fees.
We managed to secure an apartment and Move in that time.

HK island is a lot more convenient for international schools. You will need to be in the right zone area for school & bus.
School starts at 8:15am - 2:40pm at all ESF primary schools.


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## toojoon (Jun 19, 2012)

elixir.sg said:


> Thanks so much toojoon, JWilliamson and hkexpat for detailed info.
> 
> *@toojoon ->* Thanks for info on the house rent in Tsuen Wan New Territories, I believe by now getting the 2 BR apt on this price will be tough. I had a question though, when signing lease, then is it 1 month rent deposit is needed or 2 months rent deposit is needed. Also what do I owe a landlord, in case I had to break a lease before lease-term?
> 
> Toojoon: Not sure about breaking a lease before end of term - I am under the impression that most landlords would not be too upset as they can rent again at a higher price. It all depends on how easily they can find a tenant. Can't remember whether I paid one or two months deposit without checking my lease, but you have to pay the month in advance too....so I think it ended up being something like three times the monthly rent. Plus there's a small charge for Stamp duty, and once you've moved in it pays to get the locks/keys changed for your your security.


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## hkexpat (Jun 26, 2012)

In my near 12 mths in HK - there's no way our landlord would allow us to break our lease early. So I guess it's dependent on the individual landlord. You also have a lot of mOney at stake. 2 months deposit etc.
As Part of the deal the landlord changed the lock on moving day. I highly recommend that, as a work colleague got " broken into" on Discovery Bay twice while they were working - using the door key. He only then changed the locks.


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## elixir.sg (Jun 20, 2012)

toojoon said:


> elixir.sg said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks so much toojoon, JWilliamson and hkexpat for detailed info.
> ...


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## elixir.sg (Jun 20, 2012)

Thanks so much for your response, really appreciate it.



hkexpat said:


> We used the corporate entry last year. Your cOmpany would need to Pay a non- refundable deposit for this type of entry.
> Give the ESF a call as last year it was only an option until 30/6.
> 
> I hope this deposit is that HK$10,000 and other is Refundable Capital Levy of HK$ 25000, will confirm with school in a short while.
> ...


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## elixir.sg (Jun 20, 2012)

hkexpat said:


> In my near 12 mths in HK - there's no way our landlord would allow us to break our lease early. So I guess it's dependent on the individual landlord. You also have a lot of mOney at stake. 2 months deposit etc.
> As Part of the deal the landlord changed the lock on moving day. I highly recommend that, as a work colleague got " broken into" on Discovery Bay twice while they were working - using the door key. He only then changed the locks.


Thanks hkexpat  for your reply and advise on getting the locks changed, never thought about this as never asked any one in US to change the locks before move-in.


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## JWilliamson (May 31, 2010)

Well in my case I never had a problem with theft in USA or Hong Kong but changing or even better ADDING a lock seems like a good idea.


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## elixir.sg (Jun 20, 2012)

Hi friends,

I have these two clause in my offer letter, and I need help from seniors here on these 2 clauses - 
1) Kids Education Fee
The company agrees to pay you a monthly fee for your kids education in HK. This is an unchangeable amount used as subsidy under the budget of HKD7,000.00, no matter how many kids you have now or in future.

Please help me understanding the above statement. 
Does this mean that I will only get HKD 7000.00 if I produce the monthly tuition fees bill from school or does this mean that I will get paid HKD 7000.00 regardless of bills/ invoice? Let's say if I don't get school for my kid this year, and I opt for home-schooling for current year, company will not pay me HKD 7000.00 or let's say I don't move my kid in HK till mid-term admissions begin and supposedly he joins school after November then company will start paying HKD 7000.00 from then onwards only?


2) Relevant MPF and individual income tax is subject to your responsibility. Monthly salary will be paid to you by credit transfer directly into your bank account in Hong Kong. (During the first year in HK, MPF-Mandatory Provident Fund is allowed not to be
paid by both parties, but it's up to you).


Company is not required to pay any % of MPF in HK? 
And I don't need to pay MPF during first year of my stay in HK? 
How much % of salary is gone towards MPF per month?


Kindly help me with these two points as I have 48 hrs to confirm the offer.

Thanks all for your help so far.


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## Mtrliving (Jun 21, 2012)

Try this website for schools : h t t p : / / w w w .chsc.hk/psp/main.php?lang_id=1]PSP2011

Remove the spaces in the url above to work.

MPF is required by law to be contributed by employer and employee on a 50/50 basis with maximum contribution of hk$1000 per party per month. Might clarify with your employer if they would give you cash instead if you choose not to contribute to the fund, which belongs to you.

The contractual terms be best clarified with your employer as they may not standard terms.


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