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A woman was fined $5,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (January 30) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
The court heard that officers of the Home Affairs Department's Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), inspected an unlicensed guesthouse in Tsim Sha Tsui in July last year. They found 13 rooms for rent and a guest.
The woman, who was the manager and operator of the premises, admitted that the guesthouse was operated without a valid licence.
According to the OLA's records, the premises did not have a valid certificate of exemption or a valid licence on the inspection day. The woman was subsequently charged under section 5(1) of the ordinance.
A department spokesman said it was a criminal offence to operate or manage unlicensed guesthouses and that enforcement action would continue to be taken against them to ensure the safety of lodgers. He also appealed to the public to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA on 2881 7498.
Ends/Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Issued at HKT 15:01
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