Next time you’re thinking of putting up your nearest and dearest in the cheapest digs in town, think again. A study by independent think tank 30SGroup has found that three quarters of Hong Kong’s guest houses operate without a licence.
The results of the study, which were released yesterday, suggest that at least 2,000 of the city’s estimated 2,800 guest houses do not have the proper papers, equating to around 20,000 rooms.
Most are said to be located in Yau Tsim Mong, while Mong Kok’s Dundas Street is definitely one to avoid, with seven out of the 16 establishments on that road found to be falling foul of the law.
The group says that besides from tourists, Hong Kong’s poorest are the group that is most directly effected by the phenomenon, as unlicensed guest houses reduce available space for low income housing. They recommend that the government considers cutting down tourism numbers while the problem is resolved.
Just last December, a fire at a building filled with guest houses in North Point left 25 people injured.
