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A company was fined $8,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (September 1) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
The courts heard that the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) under the Home Affairs Department received a report from two members of the public alleging to have rented rooms on a daily basis in a suspected unlicensed guesthouse on Man Wui Street, Yau Ma Tei, in October last year. Upon receiving the report, the OLA swiftly deployed officers to the guesthouse to conduct investigation and collect evidence.
According to the OLA's records, the guesthouse did not possess a licence under the Ordinance on the days of renting out the rooms. Therefore, the company responsible for operating the premises was charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Ordinance.
A department spokesman stressed that operating or managing an unlicensed guesthouse is a criminal offence and will lead to a criminal record. Upon conviction, the offender is liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and two years' imprisonment.
When suspected unlicensed guesthouse operation is identified or such a report is received, the OLA will conduct an inspection within eight working days. Prosecution will be instituted by the OLA immediately if there is sufficient evidence of unlicensed guesthouse operation.
The spokesman appealed to the public to report suspected illegal guesthouses to the OLA through the OLA hotline (2881 7498), by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk) or by fax (fax number: 2504 5805) using the report form downloaded from the website (www.hadla.gov.hk).
Ends/Monday, September 1, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:09
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