Hong Kong Ordinances

BEDSPACE APARTMENTS ORDINANCE - SECT 20

Inspection, production and seizure of documents, etc.

PART VI

SUPERVISION OF BEDSPACE APARTMENTS

(1) Any public officer authorized by the Authority in writing for the purposes
of this section may-

   (a)  without warrant and on production, if so required, of his written
        authorization and his identity card issued under the Registration 
        of Persons Ordinance ( Cap 177)-

        (i)    at all reasonable times enter and inspect a bedspace apartment
               in respect of which a certificate of exemption has been issued
               and is for the time being in force and- (A) advise on the steps
               or works required to be taken or executed for the purpose of
               compliance with the requirements of this Ordinance; or (B) make
               inquiries as to compliance with any conditions imposed under
               section 8(2)(a) or 9(3)(a) (as the case may be);

        (ii)   at all reasonable times enter and inspect a licensed bedspace 
               apartment and make inquiries as to compliance with any
               conditions imposed under section 12(2)(a) or 13(3)(a) (as the
               case may be) or with any requirements under this Ordinance, and
               as to all such other matters and things as are relevant to the
               provision of safe and hygienic accommodation for the occupiers
               of the bedspace apartment; or

        (iii)  at all reasonable times enter and inspect any premises which he
               reasonably believes are being used as or for the purposes of a
               bedspace  apartment; and

   (b)  upon entry in accordance with paragraph (a)-

        (i)    require any person taking part in the operation, keeping,
               management or other control of a bedspace apartment to produce
               any book or document (including any rental agreement, receipt
               for rent, rent-book or accounts) or other article or thing
               relating to the operation, keeping, management or other control
               of the bedspace apartment, or to furnish any information
               relating to such operation, keeping, management or other
               control, and the public officer may take copies of any such
               book or document;

        (ii)   seize, remove from any premises and detain any book, document
               or other article or thing which he reasonably believes to be or
               to contain, or likely to be or to contain, evidence of the
               commission of an offence under this Ordinance, or evidence of
               any ground for the revocation of or refusal to renew the
               certificate of exemption or the licence for the time being in
               force in respect of a bedspace apartment; and

        (iii)  do all such things as are necessary for all or any of the above
               purposes, or for the inspection or testing of any materials,
               apparatus, equipment, facilities, installations, works or
               system installed or used in or in connection with a
               bedspace apartment or the operation, keeping, management or
               other control thereof, or which are relevant to any
               requirements under this Ordinance.

(2) A public officer authorized under subsection (1) may perform all or any of
his functions under that subsection with the assistance of a police officer in
the event that he is obstructed in the exercise of such functions. (Enacted
1994)