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A woman was fined $3,000 at Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (June 2) for managing an unlicensed guesthouse in Mong Kok.
The court heard that in September last year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Lai Chi Kok Road, Mong Kok. An OLA officer posed as a lodger and rented a room in the guesthouse on a daily basis. The woman, responsible for managing the guesthouse, subsequently admitted that 13 rooms on the premises were for rental.
According to the OLA's records, the guesthouse did not possess a valid certificate of exemption or a licence under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance on the day of inspection. The female manager was charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation 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/Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:19
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