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HAD enhances enforcement actions against suspected unlicensed guesthouses during Lunar New Year (with photos)
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     During the Lunar New Year, numerous tourists visit Hong Kong to enjoy the traditional Chinese festive celebrations. To ensure the safety of the visitors, the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department has recently carried out territory-wide enforcement actions in various tourist accommodation hotspots to combat suspected unlicensed guesthouses.

     Since February 14, the OLA has conducted a number of special enforcement actions against suspected unlicensed guesthouses, including surprise inspections, large-scale inter-departmental operations and decoy operations in various districts throughout the territory. The operations were conducted day and night and also during the public holidays. Up to now, among the 169 premises inspected, seven were suspected to have unlicensed guesthouse activities. The OLA will continue to conduct the enforcement actions during the Lunar New Year festive period to curb unlicensed guesthouse operation.

     The Chief Officer (Licensing Authority), Mr Au Wing-hung, said, "Operating an unlicensed guesthouse is a criminal offence. Any person convicted of the offence is liable to imprisonment, which will also lead to a criminal record. The maximum penalty is a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for two years, and a fine of $20,000 for each day during which the offence continues. The OLA will examine the evidence gathered during the aforesaid inspections and prosecution will be instituted immediately if there is sufficient evidence that the premises concerned are involved in such illegal activities."

     The number of inspections of suspected unlicensed premises conducted by the OLA has significantly increased over the past five years, from 2 678 in 2010 to 13 153 in 2014 reflecting the OLA's determination to curb unlicensed guesthouse operation.

     Mr Au added, "Unlicensed guesthouses which may not comply with the prescribed building and fire safety standards will pose threats to the safety of occupants as well as other residents and visitors to the building. The OLA will not tolerate any unlicensed guesthouses and will continue to take stringent enforcement actions to ensure the safety of the visitors and the public."

     In view of the increasing number of online advertisements on suspected unlicensed guesthouses, the OLA has set up a dedicated Internet enforcement team to browse webpages as well as discussion forums and blogs to track down suspected unlicensed guesthouse activities on the one hand, and has made appeals to tourists to patronise licensed guesthouses on the other. Upon discovery of any information on unlicensed guesthouses, law enforcement officers from the OLA will follow up and investigate into the case, including requiring the web hosts to remove such information from their websites. Moreover, the OLA has made it very clear in writing to the websites concerned from time to time that a licence is required for guesthouse operation in accordance with the laws of Hong Kong.

     The OLA has also implemented a stringent measure targeting licensed guesthouse operators who operate guesthouses at other premises, commonly known as "shadow guesthouses". If a guesthouse licence holder is convicted of unlicensed guesthouse operation, the OLA will consider cancelling all the licences being held by the licensee concerned or refusing to renew the licences pursuant to the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance. Since implementation of the measure in 2009, the OLA has cancelled or refused to renew the licences of 21 guesthouses for this reason.

     In addition to strengthening law enforcement actions, the OLA will continue to step up publicity efforts to help visitors differentiate between licensed and unlicensed guesthouses, as well as promote the importance of patronising licensed ones. The OLA has recently launched a mobile application, "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses", which allows tourists and the public to search for the latest details and locations of licensed hotels and guesthouses anytime and anywhere. The OLA has also uploaded the information to its website (www.hadla.gov.hk) and requires all licensed guesthouses to display a logo at the main entrance and on the doors of all guestrooms for tourists' easy identification.

     Anyone with information about suspected unlicensed guesthouses may report it to the OLA by the hotline (Tel: 2881 7498), by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk) or by fax (2504 5805) using the report form downloaded from the OLA website. Tourists and members of the public can also report suspected unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA through the mobile application "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses".

Ends/Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:30

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