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A woman was convicted and fined $3,000 at the Shatin Magistrates' Courts today (May 15) for managing an unlicensed guesthouse in Mong Kok.
The court heard that officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Lai Chi Kok Road, Mong Kok, in February last year. The investigation team found signboards of the guesthouse at the external wall and entrance of the premises. OLA officers found 11 guestrooms inside the unit, all consisting of sleeping accommodation. Two guests found in two guestrooms admitted that they rented the rooms on an hourly and daily basis respectively.
According to the OLA's record, the guesthouse did not possess a valid certificate or a licence under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance on the day of inspection. The woman who managed the guesthouse was 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/Friday, May 15, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:01
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