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A man was fined $2,000 at Eastern Magistrates' Court today (July 6) for operating an unlicensed guesthouse in Causeway Bay.
The court heard that in March this year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay. An OLA officer posed as a lodger and successfully rented a room inside the guesthouse on a daily basis.
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 male operator of the guesthouse was charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Hotel & 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 any suspected unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA.
Ends/Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Issued at HKT 17:25
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