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Two women were fined $5,000 each at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (January 31) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
The court heard that in October last year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Kingston Street, Causeway Bay. OLA officers posed as lodgers and rented a room inside the guesthouse. Later during the investigation, officers found three rooms on the premises for rental 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 operator of the guesthouse was charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Ordinance.
In another inspection conducted in October last year on a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Fort Street, North Point, OLA officers posed as lodgers and, assisted by the female manager, successfully rented a room in another guesthouse in the same building. According to the OLA's records, the guesthouse did not possess a valid certificate of exemption or a license 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/Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:03
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