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A woman was fined $3,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (April 2) for operating an unlicensed guesthouse in Sai Kung.
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 Sai Wan Village, Sai Kung. During the investigation, OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented a room in the guesthouse 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.
A department spokesman stressed that it is a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse. Any person who is convicted for operating or managing an unlicensed guesthouse is liable to imprisonment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a $200,000 fine and imprisonment for two years.
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 suspected illegal guesthouses to the OLA via fax (fax number: 2504 5805).
Ends/Monday, April 2, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:31
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