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A woman was fined $3,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (January 24) after pleading guilty to managing a guesthouse in Mong Kok without a valid certificate of exemption or a valid licence.
The court heard that officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, met the woman during an inspection of an unlicensed guesthouse at Dundas Street, Mong Kok in June last year. The woman admitted being the person responsible for the premises and disclosed that 11 rooms provided with sleeping facilities were available for rent on first and second floors of the premises.
Three guests located at scene said they rented the rooms on daily basis and identified the woman as the guesthouse keeper.
The woman did not possess a valid certificate of exemption or license to manage the guesthouse at the premises. She was subsequently charged with contravening Section 5(1) of the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
A department spokesman said it was a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse. He stressed that enforcement action would be taken against them to ensure the safety of patrons of these establishments and appealed to the public to report unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA at 2881 7498.
Ends/Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:23
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