The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and FT-Raman spectra of 7-bromo-5-chloro-8-hydroxyquinoline (BCHQ) have been measured in the range 4000-400 and 4000-100cm(-1), respectively. Complete vibrational assignment and analysis of the fundamental modes of the compound were carried out using the observed FTIR and FT-Raman data. The geometry was optimised without any symmetry constrains using the DFT/B3LYP and HF methods with 6-31G** basis set. The vibrational frequencies which were determined experimentally are compared with those obtained theoretically from ab initio HF and density functional theory (DFT) gradient calculations employing the HF/6-31G** and B3LYP/6-31G** methods for the optimised geometry of the compound. The structural parameters and normal modes of vibration obtained from HF and DFT methods are in good agreement with the experimental data. Normal coordinate analysis was also carried out with ab initio force fields utilising Wilson's FG matrix method.