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A man was fined $2,500 at Eastern Magistrates' Court today (July 20) for operating a guesthouse in North Point without a valid certificate of exemption or a licence.
The court heard that in January this year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Tin Chong Street, North Point. OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented a room in the guesthouse. Later during the investigation, officers found nine rooms equipped with accommodation facilities in the guesthouse.
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 operator of the guesthouse 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 any suspected unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA.
Ends/Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:35
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