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One man and two women were fined a total of $25,000 at Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (December 23) for managing unlicensed guesthouses and contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
The court heard that in July and August this year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected three suspected unlicensed guesthouses in Mong Kok and Tai Kok Tsui. OLA officers acted as lodgers and rented guestrooms on these premises.
According to OLA's records, all these guesthouses did not possess a valid certificate of exemption or a licence under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance on the day of inspection. The managers of the unlicensed guesthouses were charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Hotel & Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
A department spokesman said 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 dial the OLA hotline (2881 7498), send email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk) or download report form from the website www.hadla.gov.hk, to report any suspected unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA.
Ends/Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:01
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