Staff member of waterproofing service company convicted of applying false trade description
A staff member of a waterproofing service company was convicted of applying a false trade description to waterproofing services, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO), and was sentenced to imprisonment for four months, suspended for three years, and fined HK$2,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (June 26).
Hong Kong Customs received informationin May 2025 alleging that a waterproofing service company staff member had engaged in unfair trade practices in the supply of waterproofing services.
Customs investigations revealed that the waterproofing work was carried out by way of injecting waterproofing materials, and the charges were calculated based on the weight in kilograms of materials used, amounting to $45,000. The staff member made a false claim to the consumer that a three-year free maintenance would be provided upon completion of the work. However, the water leakage problem persisted after the completion of waterproof work, and the staff member could no longer be reached. Ultimately, the staff member and the company involved failed to fulfill the promise to provide maintenance service to the consumer.
Customs welcomes the sentence which has given a clear warning to unscrupulous practitioners in the industry. The department has all along been concerned about the unfair trade practices across all sectors and industries. Should any person or trader be found to have contravened the TDO, Customs will take decisive enforcement actions and will not tolerate any illegal acts.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO. Consumers are also reminded to procure services from reputable shops. After purchasing services, they should keep the relevant records, such as transaction receipts and contracts, which can become basic information in case a complaint is lodged in the future.
Under the TDO, any person who in the course of any trade or business applies a false trade description to any service commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Source: AI-found images
FEHD announces list of first batch of permitted food premises for dog entry
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (June 26) announced that, as of yesterday (June 25), among the successful food premises allocated quotas for allowing dogs to enter according to the ballot result, 833 have completed the procedures and dogs will be allowed to enter their premises starting from July 9. The list has been uploaded to the FEHD's dedicated webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/dog_restaurants/index.html).
A spokesman for the FEHD said, "As some successful food premises withdrew their applications or did not complete the procedures due to various reasons, the FEHD will arrange applicants on the waiting list to fill the vacancies according to the sequential order from the earlier ballot results. The department has gradually notified those waitlisted applicants via SMS, and deployed dedicated officers to visit the food premises concerned in batches to deliver Approval Letters to the operators starting from today. Waitlisted applicants allocated a quota must, on or before July 7, bring along the Approval Letter and the existing original copy of the restaurant licence, to any Licence Issuing Offices listed in the Approval Letter, and pay a fee of $140 to amend the licence to include the permission."
The FEHD, apart from notified applicants the ballot results via SMS earlier after the open ballot, has also deployed dedicated officers to visit successful food premises applicants to deliver Approval Letters, and brief their operators on the statutory requirements, licence conditions and other compliance arrangements, including reminding the applicants again to voluntarily verify whether the location of the food premises permits the entry of dogs.
The spokesman said, the new measure aims to respond to the aspirations of members of the public, create new business opportunities for the catering industry, and promote harmony between people and pets. Apart from hotpot restaurants, barbecue restaurants, and restaurants with an area less than 20 square metres, all restaurants with a full licence may apply for the dog-admission permission.
The FEHD advises that permitted food premises should make adequate preparations for allowing dogs to enter, including planning dining areas, installing facilities, training staff, and contacting insurance companies. In addition, co-operation among customers bringing dogs and other members of the public is also crucial. The FEHD has earlier released the Guidelines on Good Practices and Behaviour, covering points to note for restaurant operators, and both customers bringing dogs and those without dogs. The FEHD encourages different parties to refer to the Guidelines, fulfil their responsibilities, and respect one another, thereby promoting pet inclusivity.
Source: AI-found images
