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A man was sentenced to six weeks' jail, suspended for 12 months, and fined $30,000 at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts today (January 26) for operating an unlicensed guesthouse in Yuen Long.
The court heard that in March last 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 male operator 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/Thursday, January 26, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:32
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