Question
Mr Ang Wei Neng: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry for the past three years (a) what is the number of renovation contractors that are registered with Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA); (b) of which, how many renovation contractors are accredited with CaseTrust; and (c) what is the number of complaints that the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) has received involving renovation contractors.
Written Answer by Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling
1. As of April 2022, there are 6,697 renovation contractors registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). From 2019 to 2021, CASE received an average of 1,100 complaints involving renovation contractors each year. In particular, complaints against the industry saw a spike in 2021 against the backdrop of manpower and raw material shortages due to the pandemic, and pent-up demand for home renovation services.
2. The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) recently published a Guide on Fair Trading Practices for the Renovation industry. This aims to raise contractors’ awareness of the good practices they should adopt to enable consumers to make well-informed decisions. The guide also highlights what constitutes unfair practices under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (CPFTA). Consumers can visit the CASE website for guidelines on what to look out for when engaging a renovation contractor - from negotiations on progressive payments based on project milestones to dealing with outstanding renovation defects. Consumers can also consider engaging CaseTrust-accredited contractors as these businesses are committed to fair trading practices and consumer-friendly policies, such as using the CaseTrust Standard Renovation Contract to ensure cost transparency and accountability in renovation projects.
3. Consumers who encounter unfair practices can always approach CASE for assistance. CASE will not hesitate to refer errant contractors to CCCS for investigation under the CPFTA.