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A man was fined $4,000 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (June 29) for managing an unlicensed guesthouse in Causeway Bay.
Meanwhile, a woman was sentenced to four week's jail, suspended for 12 months, and fined $5,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts for managing an unlicensed guesthouse in Mong Kok.
The court heard that in December last year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay. OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented a room inside the guesthouse. Later during the investigation, officers found five rooms in the premises for rental.
In another inspection conducted in February this year on a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Portland Street, Mong Kok, OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented a room inside the guesthouse on a daily basis. Later during the investigation, officers found 16 rooms in the premises for rental.
According to the OLA's records, the guesthouses did not possess a valid certificate of exemption or a licence under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance on the day of inspection. The male and female managers of the two guesthouses were 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 will 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, June 29, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:55
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