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A man and a woman were convicted and fined $5,000 and $3,000 respectively at Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Court today (July 7) for operating an unlicensed guesthouse in Sai Kung.
The court heard that officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of Home Affairs Department found during an undercover telephone investigation that illegal short-term rental was available at holiday flats at Sai Wan Village, Sai Kung, in April last year. A warning letter was issued to the operator of the holiday flats.
During a decoy operation in December last year, two OLA officers posed as lodgers and rented a holiday flat on a daily basis at Sai Wan Village. A man and a woman, who operated and managed the unlicensed holiday flats respectively, admitted that four white houses were for rent.
According to OLA's record, the flat did not possess a valid certificate or a licence under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance on the day of inspection. The man and the woman were charged with contravening Section 5(1) of the Ordinance.
A department spokesman stressed that it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse and enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal guesthouse operations to ensure the safety of lodgers. He appealed to the public to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA at 2881 7498.
Ends/Monday, July 7, 2008
Issued at HKT 15:00
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