Renovation Contractor Runs Away With Client's Money

[Kalos_2]

Hi Value Buddies ,

I am having some trouble with the subject line. Anyone who had experiences and had learnt ( expensive ) useful lessons , please share with me. What are the things to look out for and what steps to take to mitigate this.

[Zelphon]

So are you the victim (i.e. Client)?

[newborn1000]

Pay in installments..........go with the better reputation (Dont scrimp here)............Check prices with friends etc...........

Call the police, if they already ran away =P

[Kalos_2]

So are you the victim (i.e. Client)?

Unfortunately , I am the Client.

Happened over this Christmas Weekend. Trying to Salvage situation for New Year. House is in a big mess , unliveable condition. About 50% of Work still not done.

[mikh]

not sure if this is any help. below is list of Sg Accredited Renovators and website. If your contractor is (in the unlikely case) listed you could maybe contact them for some recourse. They also offer advice on contractors.

http://www.radac.org.sg/arlist.asp

[kazukirai]

Unfortunately , I am the Client.

Happened over this Christmas Weekend. Trying to Salvage situation for New Year. House is in a big mess , unliveable condition. About 50% of Work still not done.

Hi Kalos, sorry to hear about your unfortunate encounter.

Unfortunately, I'm not a lawyer, trained in law nor have had any similar experience so I can't give any advice worth taking. If the contractor has 'run away' and is uncontactable, I think this would be classified as a 'cheating case', similar to those fly-by-night SPA or schools. In which case, you probably should make a police report or at the very least, contact CASE to point you in the right direction?

Just my 1 cent worth and hope this helps to bump up the thread so that someone more qualified can respond.

[sgd]

not the worst I've ever heard. I know a bizzare case a contractor added "an extra room" for the client carved out of half of the living room without approval. Imagine what HDB will do had they found out about it. Also pushed the owner around never deliver whatever was promised and took ages to finish everything. In the end that owner had to get another contractor to quietly remove that "extra room".

I think that owner made a big mistake to pay too much upfront and trusted too much. The contractor was recommended by a friend. So friend of a friend all are friends lah so can compromise right? another bad mistake there.

Having said that there are also good & honest contractors around also.

[Zelphon]

So how much upfront payment should one give just in case the contractor screwed up or run away with your money????

Any guide or advise?

[Contrarian]

> So how much upfront payment should one give just in case the contractor screwed up or run away with your money????

U need to know his financial position is standing well. If he is always rolling, just avoid this.

All my home repair, air con servicing, PC repair are from NTUC Income referrals. They are trustworthy and reliable so far. The reason is this gives them repeat business and they will get struck off by NTUC Income if they messed up. You can try and see if they do renovation.