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A man was convicted and fined $7,000 at the Tsuen Wan Magistrates' Courts today (June 25) for operating an unlicensed guesthouse in Sheung Shui.
The court heard that officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of Home Affairs Department inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in San Fung Avenue, Sheung Shui last December. The investigation team found signboards of the guesthouse outside the premises and a daily rental patron inside.
An OLA officer posed as a lodger and requested to rent a room in the guesthouse. The man, who was responsible for operating the guesthouse, subsequently admitted that nine guestrooms inside the unit were for rent.
According to OLA's records, the guesthouse did not possess a valid certificate or a licence under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance on the day of inspection. The man 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/Thursday, June 25, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:01
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