**********************************************************
A man was fined $8,000 at Tsuen Wan Magistrates' Court today (February 1) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
The court heard that the officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected premises opposite a licensed guesthouse in Market Street, Tsuen Wan, in August last year. An OLA officer posed as a lodger and successfully rented a room with accommodation facilities inside the premises.
According to the OLA's record, the premises did not have a valid certificate of exemption or a license on the inspection day. The male defendant was charged for managing a guesthouse in the premises other than the premises indicated in the licence issued, which contravened Section 21(3)(b) of Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
In another case, a man and a woman, who managed an unlicensed guesthouse in Sai Kung, were convicted and each fined $1,500 at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Court today.
OLA officers inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Sai Wan Village, Sai Kung, in July last year. An OLA officer, posing as a lodger, successfully rented a holiday flat on a daily basis.
According to the OLA's record, the premises in Sai Kung did not have a valid certificate of exemption or a license under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance on the inspection day. The male and female managers of the unlicensed 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 suspected unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA.
Ends/Monday, February 1, 2010
Issued at HKT 17:01
NNNN
