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A woman was fined $3,000 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (May 17) for managing an unlicensed guesthouse in Causeway Bay.
The court heard that in April this year officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Paterson Street, 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 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 email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk) or download a report form from the OLA website, www.hadla.gov.hk, to report any suspected unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA.
Ends/Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:21
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