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A man who was charged with contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance was fined $6,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (January 17).
The court heard that officers of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected an unlicensed guesthouse on Dundas Street, Mongkok in July last year and found nine rooms with sleeping accommodation in the premises. The lodgers alleged that they had paid rent for the rooms on either a daily or hourly basis.
The man admitted under caution that he had rented and operated the premises as a guesthouse since last year, knowing that he was operating an unlicensed guesthouse. He was subsequently charged with operating a guesthouse without a certificate of exemption or a license as required under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
An HAD spokesman stressed that unlicensed guesthouses will not be tolerated and enforcement action will be taken against them to ensure the safety of patrons of these establishments. He also appealled to the public to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA at 2881 7498.
Ends/Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:40
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