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A woman was fined $3,000 at Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (August 11) for operating an unlicensed guesthouse in Yau Ma Tei.
The court heard that in May this year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei. OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented a room in the guesthouse on a daily basis. Later during the investigation, officers found five rooms in the premises for rental.
According to 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 woman, who admitted to be the 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 report form from the website www.hadla.gov.hk, to report any suspected unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA.
Ends/Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:30
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