***********************************************
A woman was fined $10,000 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (May 25) for operating an unlicensed guesthouse in Mong Kok.
The court heard that in this month, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok. During the investigation, 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 woman, responsible for operating the guesthouse, was charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
A department spokesman stressed that it is 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, May 25, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:03
NNNN
