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A woman was sentenced to two months' jail, suspended for two years, and fined $6,000 at Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (August 25) for managing an unlicensed guesthouse in Mong Kok.
The court heard that in August last year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Dundas Street, Mong Kok. An OLA officer, posing as a lodger, successfully rented a room in the guesthouse on an hourly basis. Later during the investigation, officers found six rooms equipped with accommodation facilities in the premises.
According OLA's records, the guesthouse did not possess a valid certificate 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 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/Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Issued at HKT 17:00
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