Case Issues Alert Against a Reno Firm That Has Received 30 Complaints in a Year

By
Shawn Ambrose
-
Advertisements
 

When you hire someone to renovate your home, you’re expecting two things:

  1. That they’ll complete the renovation
  2. That they’ll complete the renovation

After all, you’re paying thousands of dollars for them to beautify and furnish the place you’re going to call home.

So, if they leave without finishing what they started, you’re going to be displeased, to say the least.

Advertisements
 

But that’s exactly what’s been happening to some customers of a certain renovation contractor here.

30 Complaints Lodged Against Reno Firm

Some consumers have been lodging complaints against 99 Reno, a renovation contractor, for leaving renovation works unfinished.

According to the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case), most of the complaints were made by consumers who made advance and instalment payments but experienced repeated delays in the renovation works.

In some cases, the installation of kitchen cabinets, carpentry work, and electrical works were left incomplete.

In other instances, 99 Reno collected prepayments for the projects, but didn’t even start working on them.

Now, that’s just messed up.

The firm was also unable to provide a fixed date for finishing the renovation works.

In total, 30 consumer complaints were made against 99 Reno from July 2020 till the end of June 2021.

Advertisements
 

Case Issues Alert After Lack of Response to Warning Letter 

When the authorities send you a warning letter, no matter the offence, it’s probably a good reason to pay attention to it and respond.

But 99 Reno didn’t do this, and all of Case’s attempts to resolve the matter with the company have been unsuccessful.

Read Also:  Five Hospitalized in Whampoa Fire Started by Items Stored in HDB Corridor

This is why Case issued a company alert against 99 Reno yesterday (30 July), adding that it would monitor the company closely.

Believe it or not, Reno 99 has continued to take on other projects with customers, and collected their deposits.

It’s believed that the firm also asked existing customers to pay the full contract sum to restart uncompleted renovation work.

Advertisements
 

The cost of these renovation projects ranged from S$6,000 to S$54,000, Case said.

Case said it would not hesitate to take action against 99 Reno for offences under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (CPFTA).

It added that it’s an unfair practice to accept payment for services that the supplier knows will not be delivered punctually, at, or before the time of payment.

Tips to Avoid Dodgy Contractors

In its statement, Case provided tips for consumers who are looking to renovate their homes:

This includes:

Advertisements
 
  • Comparing quotations from different contractors
  • Doing thorough research on the credibility and track record of the contractor
  • Insisting on a written contract
  • Negotiate for the deposit to be as low as possible
  • Documenting outstanding defects and ensuring they have been rectified before making full payment – the photos can be used as evidence in case of a dispute
  • Hiring CaseTrust-accredited renovation contractors
  • Engaging a contractor from HDB’s directory of renovation contractors

Those who wish to lodge complaints against firms for unfair practices can call Case’s hotline at 6100-0315, or visit its website.

Now that you know how to avoid dodgy contractors, time to learn more about BTOs if you’re due to get your keys soon:

Read Also:  Anwar Jokes Man Utd May Face Relegation After 1-0 Loss, Garnacho and Amad Show Middle Fingers

Read Also:

Featured Image: Andrew Angelov/ shutterstock.com

Would you be jailed for being half-naked in public? Well, the answer will shock you. Seriously. Watch this to the end and you'll understand:

Read Also:


 
Shawn Ambrose
Email: [email protected]