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A man was fined $10,000 at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (March 23) for operating an unlicensed guesthouse in Mong Kok. The male manager of the unlicensed guesthouse was fined $3,000.
The court heard that in December last year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Shanghai Street, Mong Kok. An OLA officer posed as a lodger and rented a room in the guesthouse on an hourly basis. Later during the investigation, officers found four rooms in the premises for rental.
According to OLA's records, the guesthouse did not possess a valid certificate of exemption or a license under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance on the day of inspection. The male operator and the male manager were charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Hotel & Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
A department spokesman stressed that it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse and enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal guesthouse operations to ensure the safety of lodgers.
He appealed to the public to call the OLA hotline (2881 7498), send e-mail (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk) or download a report form from the website, www.hadla.gov.hk, to report any suspected unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA.
Ends/Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:16
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