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Two men, who are co-owners of an unlicensed bedspace apartment (BSA) in Sham shui Po, were convicted at the North Kowloon Magistracy today (May 13) after pleading guilty. One, who was previously convicted under the same offence on July 4, 2002, was fined $10,000 plus $2,300 for the period the offence had continued, and the other was fined $4,000.

The Court heard that on December 19 last year, officers of the Home Affairs Department's (HAD) Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) inspected the premises at 109 Pei Ho Street, Sham Shui Po and found that eight cubicles were providing a total of 32 bedspaces as sleeping accommodation, of which 19 were being rented out or intended to be rented out. One of the eight lodgers at the scene produced rental receipts for inspection.

OLA officers inspected the premises again on January 10 this year and found that 26 of the 32 bedspaces there were being rented out or intended to be rented out. One of the lodgers met at the scene produced evidence that the co-owner of the premises was renting out bedspace as sleeping accommodation.

The two men who were co-owners of the BSA were subsequently charged under the Bedspace Apartments Ordinance for using or permitting or suffering the use of the premises as a BSA without a valid Certificate of Exemption or a licence as required.

An HAD spokesman stressed that it was a criminal offence to use or permit or suffer the use of premises as an unlicensed BSA.

The spokesman reiterated that unlicensed BSAs would not be tolerated and enforcement action would be taken against them to ensure the safety of lodgers.

He appealed to the public to report illegal BSAs to the OLA on 2881 7498.

End/Tuesday, May 13, 2003

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