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A man was fined $12,000 today (February 14) for managing a guesthouse in Mong Kok without a certificate of exemption or a licence as required under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
Kowloon City Magistrates’ Court heard that officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Portland Street, Mong Kok, last October. The investigation team saw signboards of the guesthouse outside the premises. Fifteen rooms, all equipped with sleeping facilities, and some guests were found in the unit.
The man, who was the management personnel of the guesthouse, admitted that the guesthouse had been operating for several months without a licence and he had received the warning letter issued by the OLA before the inspection. He was subsequently charged with contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
A Home Affairs Department spokesman said that illegal 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, February 14, 2007
Issued at HKT 12:31
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