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A man and a woman were convicted and fined $1,000 and $1,500 respectively at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Court today (January 8) for managing an unlicensed guesthouse in Yuen Long.
The court heard that officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Yuen Long Main Road in June last year. The investigation team found signboards of the guesthouse at the external wall and entrance of the premises. An OLA officer, posing as a lodger, successfully rented a room in the guesthouse. Officers found 17 guestrooms on the premises, all with accommodation facilities.
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 male and female managers of the guesthouse 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 dial the OLA hotline (2881 7498), send e-mail (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk) or download a report form from the website (www.hadla.gov.hk) to report any suspected unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA.
Ends/Friday, January 8, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:31
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