HAD conducts joint operation with FSD against unlicensed hotels/guesthouses and illegal club-house operations (with photos)

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     The Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department (HAD) conducted a joint operation with the Fire Services Department codenamed "Solar Flare" against unlicensed hotels/guesthouses and illegal club-house operations for two consecutive days on February 5 and 6 by posing as clients (commonly known as "snaking") at various spots to ensure the safety of lodgers and the general public.

     A spokesman for the HAD today (February 7) said, "The OLA inspected 32 premises in areas of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon during the operation. Twenty premises were suspected of operating unlicensed hotels/guesthouses and three licensed club-houses were suspected of being in breach of licensing conditions. The OLA will follow up all these cases and initiate prosecution of cases with sufficient evidence after completion of the investigations."

     Having regard to unlicensed hotels/guesthouses soliciting lodgers via online platforms, the OLA has strengthened its intelligence collection by forming a dedicated team to browse webpages, mobile applications, social media, discussion forums, blogs, etc, to search for information and intelligence on suspected unlicensed hotels/guesthouses. The OLA's law enforcement officers will initiate follow-up investigations when information on unlicensed hotels/guesthouses advertised via online platforms is found. The OLA also continues to combat unlicensed hotels/guesthouses through public education and conducts publicity work on Internet search engines outside Hong Kong to enable tourists' access to the information provided by the OLA in the course of planning their trips, so that they can make use of the search functions on the OLA's website to distinguish whether the hotel/guesthouse reserved is licensed or not.

     The spokesman stressed, "Operating an unlicensed hotel/guesthouse is a criminal offence and it can lead to imprisonment and a criminal record. Upon conviction, an offender is liable to a maximum fine of $500,000, three years' imprisonment, and a fine of $20,000 for each day during which the offence continues. A six-month closure order may also be issued for the premises involved in a repeated offence."
　　
      Tourists may check on the OLA's webpage (hadla.gov.hk) or through the mobile application "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses" whether a hotel/guesthouse is holding a valid licence. All people should report any suspected unlicensed hotel/guesthouse to the OLA by the hotline (Tel: 2881 7498), by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk), by fax (2504 5805), or through the mobile application.

Ends/Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Issued at HKT 19:40

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The Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted a joint operation with the Fire Services Department codenamed "Solar Flare" against unlicensed hotels/guesthouses and illegal club-house operations for two consecutive days on February 5 and 6 at various spots in areas of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Photo shows OLA enforcement officers searching for evidence in a suspected unlicensed guesthouse.