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A woman was fined $5,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (November 1) for managing a guesthouse in Mong Kok without a valid certificate of exemption or a licence.
The court heard that officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority(OLA), Home Affairs Department(HAD), inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Shanghai Street, Mong Kok, in November last year.
During the inspection, OLA staff found several guesthouse signboards on the external wall and at the entrance of the building where the guesthouse was located. An OLA officer, disguised as a lodger, rented a room in the guesthouse and found five rooms, all equipped with sleeping facilities.
The woman, who was the management personnel of the unlicensed guesthouse, was subsequently charged with contravening Section 5(1) of the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
A department spokesman stressed that it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse.
The spokesman reiterated that unlicensed guesthouses would not be tolerated and enforcement action would be taken against them to ensure the safety of patrons of these establishments.
He also appealed to people to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA at 2881 7498.
Ends/Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Issued at HKT 14:17
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