The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) and the Singapore Renovation Contractors & Material Suppliers Association (RCMA) have joined forces to create a voluntary accreditation scheme for the renovation industry, according to media reports.
Effective next year, the CaseTrust-RCMA accreditation scheme aims to address the rising number of complaints against renovation contractors.
In fact, the number of complaints reached 1,779 last year compared to 1,532 in 2012 and 1,488 in 2011. There were also 813 complaints during the first seven months of the year.
“The common complaint is, firstly, shoddy work. Secondly, they take the deposit and they do not perform at all. Third, the businesses close shop after a while – they go into liquidation or they are unable to turn up,” said CASE President Lim Biow Chuan.
Notably, the accreditation scheme will introduce a performance insurance bond, which “will act as a buffer for non-performance of contractors and provide greater peace of mind to consumers who are renovating their homes,” CASE and RCMA said in a joint statement.
Moreover, the scheme will impose a standard contract, which outlines the policies on fees and fee refund. If there are disagreements between the client and contractor, CASE Mediation Centre is required to intervene.
Sales staffs of accredited renovation firms are also obliged to provide prompt and accurate information about the renovation, and these companies must be evaluated under the Building and Construction Authority (BCA)’s Construction Quality Assessment System (CONQUAS).
Muneerah Bee, Senior Journalist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories email muneerah@propertyguru.com.sg
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