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A man was convicted and fined $3,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (January 3) for operating a guesthouse in Tsim Sha Tsui without a valid certificate of exemption or a licence.
The court heard that in July 2005, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department (HAD), issued a warning letter to the operator of a guesthouse on Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui for immediate cessation of its unlicensed operation. In September last year, the investigation team found that the concerned guesthouse had eight rooms available for rent and two rental guests were met at scene.
The man admitted that he was the owner of the premises and he rented the rooms out on a weekly and monthly basis. He was subsequently charged for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
An HAD spokesman stressed that unlicensed guesthouses would not be tolerated and enforcement action would continue to be taken against them to ensure the safety of lodgers. He appealed to the public to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA on 2881 7498.
Ends/Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:36
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