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A man was fined $3,000 at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (March 8) for operating and managing an unlicensed bedspace apartment (BSA) in Mong Kok.
The court heard that officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department (HAD) inspected a suspected unlicensed BSA in Nathan Road, Mong Kok in July last year. The OLA staff found that there were 11 rooms containing 23 bedspaces in the premises. Lodgers at the scene alleged that they had paid rent for staying in the premises.
The man living in the premises with his family admitted that he operated and managed a BSA without a valid certificate of exemption or licence. He was charged with contravening Section 5(1) of the Bedspace Apartment Ordinance.
An HAD spokesman reiterated that it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed BSA.
He stressed that illegal BSAs would not be tolerated and enforcement action would continue to be taken against them to ensure the safety of lodgers of these establishments.
He also urged people to report unlicensed bedspace apartments to the OLA on tel. 2881 7498.
Ends/Wednesday, March 8, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:14
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