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A man was convicted and fined $3,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (January 24) for operating a guesthouse in Sham Shui Po without a valid certificate of exemption or a licence.
The court heard that after an inspection in March last year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, issued a warning letter to the guesthouse operator in Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po, for immediate cessation of its unlicensed operation.
The OLA officers conducted another inspection of the premises in May, 2006. Five signboards of the guesthouse were found on the external wall and entrance of the building. The officers located 10 rooms equipped with sleeping and shower facilities on the premises. Two guests met at scene said that they had paid rent for the rooms on daily basis.
The man, who was the responsible person of the unlicensed guesthouse, admitted that the rooms were for rental purpose on an hourly, daily and monthly basis. He was subsequently charged with contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
A department spokesman said it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse. He said unlicensed guesthouse would not be tolerated and enforcement action would be taken against them to ensure the safety of patrons of these establishments.
The spokesman also appealed to people to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA at 2881 7498.
Ends/Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Issued at HKT 13:15
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