Renovating your home is not a cheap affair, but seeing the final result of the work makes it all worth it, right?
Unfortunately, not in this case.
Took Money But Didn’t Complete the Job
At least 10 people allegedly fell prey to a renovation contractor who took their money but did not complete the promised works and later became uncontactable.
They had all hired the owner of NJ Building, Nicholas Ong, whom they found through his Facebook posts advertising painting and waterproofing services. They each paid between $300 and $1,700 in deposits or made full payment to him.
One of the consumers, Alex, 42, hired Ong to remove the wallpaper and paint the walls of his three-bedroom condominium unit last November.
However, he was shocked to see his house left in disarray and the job left uncompleted.
“The wallpaper was torn down so roughly that plaster had come off in some areas. I was shocked and angry,” he told The Straits Times, adding that he paid a $900 deposit for works that would have cost $1,800.
Trying to get an explanation for the mess, Alex attempted to contact Ong, but there was no reply. He then made a police report and employed another contractor to finish the work for about $3,000.
Left Wires Dangling & Became Uncontactable
Another consumer, Lee, 51, a centre manager at a tuition centre in East Coast, said the centre paid a $300 deposit to Ong last December for a $400 job to supply and install LED lights at the centre.
Like Alex, she was left with a haphazardly done job.
“He roughly stripped off the lights and left the wires dangling. He said he would come back to finish up, but he didn’t, and I have not been able to contact him since,” she alleged.
The centre made a police report and then had the lights installed by a contractor for $200. It also alerted the renovation group on Facebook where it saw Ong’s advertisement.
Three Complaints Lodged Against Company
Ong is listed as the sole business owner of NJ Building, which does simple renovation works and was registered last August, according to Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority records.
In response to queries, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said it received three complaints against NJ Building from 1 November last year to 11 March this year.
All the complaints said they had engaged NJ Building’s services but the contractor did not complete the job after collecting the deposit and then later became uncontactable.
The contract value of the paint jobs ranged from $1,150 to $1,800, CASE President Melvin Yong added.
CASE had also sent a letter to Ong, but there was no response.
Most of the 10 consumers said they had engaged Ong as his quotations were lower than those from other contractors, and he was available at the time they wanted the works to be done.
Alex, who works in IT, said his interior designer did not have enough workers to do painting. Others gave too high a quotation and could not fit into his moving schedule.
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Police Reports Made
The police confirmed that they have received Alex and Lee’s reports and said investigations were ongoing.
The other consumers – including two interior designers and a renovation contractor who sub-contracted works to Ong – did not report their incidents.
A consumer who declined to be named said the $600 deposit he paid was “an expensive lesson learnt”.
“At least he left a ladder and a tin of paint behind, so I was able to finish the job on my own,” he added.
Delayed Paying Partner’s Salary
Ong’s former business partner, Tan, 28, also alleged that he delayed paying her salary by claiming that clients did not pay.
“When I contacted a client, he told me the works were not finished but Nicholas took the full payment,” she said, claiming that Ong still owed her about $700.
When ST tried to call Ong, he did not pick up his phone. He did however respond to a text message ST sent but went quiet after the reporter identified herself and requested for comments multiple times.
Guilty much?
Not Worth Going to Court
Criminal lawyer Amolat Singh said there should be a regulatory body with guidelines to establish baseline standards in the renovation industry.
“The police do not get involved in cases like these as it’s a civil mismatch of expectations between the individuals who entered an agreement – it’s not criminal,” he said.
However, if a contractor accepts money without carrying out works, it would be a clear-cut cheating case, Singh said.
Case or the Singapore Tourism Board can refer errant retailers, including renovation contractors, who persist in unfair trade practices to the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) for investigation.
Mr Singh said consumers can file a claim with the Small Claims Tribunals if the claim has a total value of up to $20,000, or up to $30,000 if the contractor agrees to it.
“But when clients get an idea of how much it would cost to go to court, they’ll do a cost-benefit analysis and decide that it’s not worth it,” he added.
Guidelines When Engaging Renovation Contractors
Lest you become the next victim of half-done renovation works, here are guidelines established by CASE when engaging contractors:
- Compare quotations from different contractors and do thorough research on the credibility and track record of the contractor before signing the contract.
- Insist on a written contract to protect your interests.
- Before signing a renovation contract, negotiate progressive payment according to project milestones.
- Conduct regular inspections of the premises to ensure the project is progressing according to the agreed schedule.
- Patronise CaseTrust accredited renovation contractors as they are required to purchase a deposit performance bond. The bond safeguards deposits against business closure before the renovation is completed.
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Featured Image: Andrew Angelov/ shutterstock.com
