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A woman was fined $4,000 at Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (August 18) for managing an unlicensed guesthouse in Mong Kok.
The court heard that in June this year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Canton Road, Mong Kok. OLA officers, posing as lodgers, 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 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 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 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/Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:02
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