The numbers
Renovation contractors had the highest consumer prepayment losses of any industry in Singapore in 2024: $728,813. The losses came largely from sudden closures and contractors becoming uncontactable mid-renovation (CASE). In 2025, those losses fell to $190,667 as more homeowners chose CaseTrust-accredited contractors.
Real cases
We name people and firms only where a court has ruled. Cases still under investigation are described without names.
Stalled works and missing furniture
Police are investigating an interior design firm after complaints from about 20 households. The firm faced 17 Small Claims Tribunal cases in 2025, with 14 resulting in payment orders. Its co-founder told the media that the firm had gone bankrupt and couldn't refund customers.
Lesson: a tribunal order doesn't guarantee you get your money back.
“Pay me directly for a discount”
A 51-year-old interior designer was arrested for allegedly offering clients discounts to pay him instead of his company. He is believed to be linked to multiple cases, with losses of over $100,000.
Lesson: pay only into the company's bank account.
Forged receipts, 16 months' jail
Renovation contractor Shen Kaibin forged receipts from an interior design firm and had homeowners pay into his personal account, cheating clients of over $40,000. He was sentenced to 16 months' jail, a fine and $22,000 compensation.
Lesson: verify receipts with the company itself.
$80,000 paid, contractor disappeared
A homeowner found a renovation firm on Carousell with good reviews and a low price. The $40,000 contract was followed by repeated requests for more payments. After about six months, the workers stopped coming and the firm became uncontactable.
Lesson: never let payments run far ahead of the work done.
Firm closed down mid-dispute
According to news reports, an HDB owner's renovation estimate grew from $123,000 to $144,656, and delays and defects kept him out of his flat for more than six months longer than promised. The contractor, Concept Werk, was deregistered in 2023. In October 2024, the High Court reversed the deregistration so he could pursue his claims in court.
Lesson: keep every message, quote, variation order and receipt.
Payments pocketed for gambling debts
Interior designer Lim Zi Ying told homeowners to pay his personal bank account instead of his employer's, misusing over $20,000. He was jailed 14 months.
Lesson: check that the account name matches the company on your contract.
Low quotes and free aircon: $1.7 million
Husniyati Omar of Carpentry Design Works lured customers with low quotations and freebies. There were 89 victims, including homeowners and sub-contractors. She was jailed 7 years and 9 months.
Lesson: if the price looks too good to be true, ask why.
The patterns behind most cases
- Large payments made far ahead of the work actually done
- Money paid outside the company's official account
- A price or freebie that seemed too good to be true
- A firm that was hard to verify (no track record, no clear address)
Warning signs before you sign
- A deposit request above 20%
- Pressure to sign the same day
- A quote full of “lump sum” and “TBC”
- No office address, UEN or past projects you can check
- Not listed in HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors (for HDB flats)
Warning signs during the project
| What you notice | What to do |
|---|---|
| Workers stop turning up for days | Ask for a written revised schedule. Don't make the next payment until work resumes. |
| Requests for payment ahead of schedule | Refer to the payment stages in your contract. Pay only for completed work. |
| “Unexpected” extra costs every week | Ask for each variation order in writing, with a price, before the work starts. |
| The ID stops replying, or the company phone is off | Check the company status on ACRA BizFile and start keeping a dated record. |
| Materials differ from what was quoted | Photograph them and raise it in writing straight away. |
How to protect yourself
- Check the HDB Directory of Renovation Contractors (for HDB flats) and the CaseTrust accredited list
- Keep the deposit small (CaseTrust-accredited firms cap it at 20%) and pay in stages
- Pay into the company account only, and get an official receipt every time
- Get everything in writing: itemised quote, timeline, variation orders
- Keep records of all messages, quotes, receipts and site photos
If something goes wrong
- CASE: for negotiation or mediation with the firm (hotline 6277 5100, case.org.sg)
- Small Claims Tribunals: claims up to $20,000, or up to $30,000 if both sides agree in writing, filed within 2 years
- Police report: if you believe you've been cheated
Step-by-step help: what to do if your ID disappears or the renovation goes wrong.
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