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[UPDATED on Friday, Jun. 9 at 2:30pm: Adding a statement provided by the police.]

Wong Noorina May and her family had already paid S$45,000 of the renovation costs quoted to transform a 4-room resale flat in Choa Chu Kang into their new home.

However, on May 2, two and a half weeks before their move-in date, with the unit's renovation far from complete, their contractor became uncontactable.

This left the couple and their six children -- three of whom have autism -- stranded, as they have to hand over the 3-room HDB unit they are currently staying in to the new owners by May 20.

Their predicament was shared in a Facebook post by user Ayda Ayn on May 16.

Incomplete renovation works

Ayn told Mothership that May is married to her cousin, and that she is sharing about the incident on behalf of their family.

She wrote that the contractor has gone missing since May 2, 2023, and added that a police report has been lodged.

In the post, she shared pictures of the incomplete renovation works in the unit.

She added that the house has not been painted, and the rewiring and plumbing works have not been done.

The accompanying pictures also show that large portions of the floor has not been tiled yet.

According to May, most of the tiling in the kitchen and the two toilets has been done, but the rest of the renovation works were not completed.

She claimed that the ceiling fans and air-conditioning units installed by the previous owner had been removed by the contractor as well.

When May and her husband went to check the unit, the electrician allegedly told them that he had not been paid by the contractor.

As such, he declined to fix up the wiring, May said.

Checked renovation progress weekly, trusted the contractor

May explained to Mothership that she trusted the contractor handling her renovation as he told her he also had a child with special needs.

As such, she felt that he "understood" her renovation plans, and would accommodate her three children who have autism.

Every week, May and her husband would head down to the unit to monitor the progress of the renovation.

Sometimes, her father-in-law who lived nearby would also help them to check, she shared.

May claimed that they had already paid the contractor S$45,000 of the S$55,000 quoted for the renovation.

Other screenshots of their conversation on WhatsApp indicate that the couple experienced some delays with the renovation.

May reminded the contractor on Apr. 25 that they had a deadline to move in to the flat latest by May 21, otherwise it would be hard to find accommodation for their family.

The last message May received from the contractor was on May 2, informing her that the plastering works at the living and dining area were done, and that electrical works were in progress.

May messaged him on May 5, asking when her family could move in to the unit.

He did not respond to that message, or any of her later ones.

In her last message, May informed the contractor that she would be lodging a police report against him.

She also tried calling multiple times, but said the calls were not picked up.

Mothership tried to call the contractor's number, but it was not in use.

Mothership has also reached out to the contractor's company for comment.

Apparently not the only victims

May told Mothership that she came across another alleged victim of the contractor on Instagram.

The user, @afjoe.aj, who has now privatised her account, wrote in a post on May 16 that she had been requested to pay 70 per cent of the renovation costs before commencement.

However, the same contractor allegedly went missing, leaving her with an unfinished house too.

May subsequently joined a group chat comprising the contractor's alleged victims.

She claimed that the group contains 15 members in total, and seven police reports have been lodged against the man.

"Trying to stay positive for our 6 children"

May admitted that this setback has certainly affected her family.

"My children are definitely disappointed," she shared.

"They were the ones who were most excited about the [new] house."

She herself was looking forward to enjoying a larger living space in their new 4-room unit at Choa Chu Kang, which she felt would be helpful for her youngest, who is hyperactive and on the spectrum.

"Right now, we are trying to stay positive for the sake of our six children," May said.

In the meantime, the family is looking for temporary living arrangements, given that the flat is not in a suitable condition for them to move in.

May shared with Mothership that they are facing difficulties in finding lodging with relatives, given the size of the family, and the fact that three of the children have special needs.

Right now, social workers and the children's schools are rendering help to the family. May is also planning to seek help from her MP.

She also hopes to seek support from members of the public to complete the renovation work.

Investigations are ongoing: Police

The police confirmed with Mothership that a report has been lodged, and a 57-year-old man is assisting with investigations.

In response to Mothership's queries, Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) President Melvin Yong shared, "We are sorry to hear about the situation that Ms Wong Noorina May and her family is in."

He noted that CASE did not receive a complaint from May, and encouraged her to approach CASE for assistance.

He pointed out that CASE will assist consumers who have contractual disputes with businesses to assess their complaint, and mediate with the business on their behalf if it is substantiated.

If the dispute is not resolved, CASE will assist the consumer, if needed, to file a claim with the Small Claims Tribunals.

Affected consumers can contact CASE for assistance at their hotline: 9795 8397 or via their website: www.case.org.sg.

1,914 complaints against renovation contractors from Jan. to Apr., 2023

Yong noted that from Jan. 1, 2022, to Apr. 30, 2023, CASE received 1,914 complaints against the renovation contractor industry.

These largely involved unsatisfactory workmanship, delays in project completion, and prepayment losses due to non-fulfilment of projects and sudden closure of businesses.

He encouraged consumers to patronise CaseTrust accredited renovation contractors who use deposit performance bonds that protect a customer's deposit, adopt contracts with various clauses that safeguard consumers’ interests, and have clearly defined dispute resolution procedures.

Yong stated that there are currently more than 130 renovation contractors accredited under the scheme.

He added that statistically, complaints against CaseTrust accredited renovation businesses are resolved at a higher rate than non-accredited ones.

Tips for those who are planning to renovate their homes

Yong also gave the following advice for those intending to renovate their homes:

• • Compare quotations from different contractors
  • Thoroughly research the credibility and track record of the contractor
  • Insist on a written contract to protect your interests
  • Negotiate for a progressive payment according to the project milestones, typically

    • 10 per cent upon confirmation
    • 80 per cent on a progressive payment basis as each stage of the renovation work is complete
    • Final 10 per cent upon satisfactory completion of all works and rectification of issues

  • Document outstanding defects by taking photos
  • Ensure outstanding defects are fully rectified before making full payment

Top image from Ayda Ayn on Facebook.