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A woman was convicted and fined $3,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (October 31) for managing a guesthouse in Tsim Sha Tsui without a valid certificate of exemption or a valid licence.
The court heard that the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of Home Affairs Department inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, in April. Five guestrooms were provided with sleeping accommodation and some daily rental guests were found inside the premises.
The woman, who was the management personnel of the guesthouse, admitted that the premises was an unlicensed guesthouse. She was charged with contravening Section 5(1) of the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
A department spokesman stressed that enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal guesthouse operation to ensure the safety of lodgers. He appealed to the public to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA at 2881 7498.
Ends/Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:15
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