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A man and a woman were fined $8,000 and $4,000 respectively at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (February 1) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
The court heard that in July last year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. The OLA officers found that there were nine rooms for rental. 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 (the ordinance) on the day of inspection. The male manager of the guesthouse was charged with contravening section 5(1) of the ordinance.
In another case, during an inspection on a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Nathan Road last September, an OLA officer posed as a lodger and successfully rented a room there on a daily basis. The OLA officers found that there were 14 rooms for rental. 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 actions would continue to be taken against illegal guesthouse operations to ensure patrons' safety.
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/Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:53
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