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A woman was fined $20,000 at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts today (November 18) for managing an unlicensed guesthouse in Yuen Long.
The court heard that in March this year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Castle Peak Road, Yuen Long. OLA officers found that the rooms in the guesthouse were rented out on a daily or hourly 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 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 email (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/Friday, November 18, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:01
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