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A man was fined $3,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (August 17) for managing an unlicensed guesthouse in Mong Kok.
The court heard that in January this year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse in Portland Street, Mong Kok. An OLA officer posed as a lodger and successfully rented a room inside the guesthouse on a daily basis. Later in the investigation, officers found eight rooms in the premises for rental.
According to the OLA's records, the guesthouse did not possess a valid certificate of exemption or a licence under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance (the ordinance) on the day of inspection. The male manager of the guesthouse was charged with contravening section 5(1) of the ordinance.
A department spokesman stressed that it is a criminal offence to operate or manage an unlicensed guesthouse and enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal guesthouse operations to ensure the safety of lodgers.
He appealed to the public to dial the OLA hotline (2881 7498), send an e-mail (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk) or download a report form from the website, www.hadla.gov.hk, to report any suspected unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA.
Ends/Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:31
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