Despicable Contractor - How To Counter?

[grace teng 0]

We met a lousy contractor which I posted few months back. Later, dissolved the contract at SCT with the agreement that he is not supposed to ask for futher payment and we are not supposed to demand him to complete the job. So, he walked away with 40% wet work completion and we had to engage difference sub-con to complete the reno.

Shifted to new place 1.5months ago. Was quite happy after that.

Last Thursday, nightmare arrived. Was shocked to death when we reached about 5plus evening. Whole place was flooded. Yes, whole place except kitchen. There was a chokage at the balcony pipe. My living room and 3 parquet floor bedrooms were flooded with at least 3 cm of water.

Called the town council and they sent a plumber to open the temp valve below my flat to let the water flow. My mattresses, beddings, walk-in wardrobe, bags with clothings, mini compo all kena.

We have to re-do the flooring, in order to do so, have to dismantle the wardrobe. All the affected clothings had sent for laundary.

Told Town Council we have to claim this against them and the flood was caused by the chokage from the main pipe. They came and said that it was because someone staying above me was doing their washing after renovation. They summoned the contractor to site. Guess what? He was our ex idiot contractor! What a small world!

Question time: do you think we can still lodge a claim against this contractor that he did not do a good job for the water levelling in my house? The water level at kitchen side obviously is higher than the living room thus cause the water to flow to all my rooms.

**** sian!

[kingzkong 0]

We met a lousy contractor which I posted few months back. Later, dissolved the contract at SCT with the agreement that he is not supposed to ask for futher payment and we are not supposed to demand him to complete the job. So, he walked away with 40% wet work completion and we had to engage difference sub-con to complete the reno.

Shifted to new place 1.5months ago. Was quite happy after that.

Last Thursday, nightmare arrived. Was shocked to death when we reached about 5plus evening. Whole place was flooded. Yes, whole place except kitchen. There was a chokage at the balcony pipe. My living room and 3 parquet floor bedrooms were flooded with at least 3 cm of water.

Called the town council and they sent a plumber to open the temp valve below my flat to let the water flow. My mattresses, beddings, walk-in wardrobe, bags with clothings, mini compo all kena.

We have to re-do the flooring, in order to do so, have to dismantle the wardrobe. All the affected clothings had sent for laundary.

Told Town Council we have to claim this against them and the flood was caused by the chokage from the main pipe. They came and said that it was because someone staying above me was doing their washing after renovation. They summoned the contractor to site. Guess what? He was our ex idiot contractor! What a small world!

Question time: do you think we can still lodge a claim against this contractor that he did not do a good job for the water levelling in my house? The water level at kitchen side obviously is higher than the living room thus cause the water to flow to all my rooms.

**** sian!

haiz... so sorry to hear abt ur encounter... so unbelievable, what a nightmare... hmm... juz wondering is all these a revenge against u???

[chrispy 0]

We met a lousy contractor which I posted few months back. Later, dissolved the contract at SCT with the agreement that he is not supposed to ask for futher payment and we are not supposed to demand him to complete the job. So, he walked away with 40% wet work completion and we had to engage difference sub-con to complete the reno.

Shifted to new place 1.5months ago. Was quite happy after that.

Last Thursday, nightmare arrived. Was shocked to death when we reached about 5plus evening. Whole place was flooded. Yes, whole place except kitchen. There was a chokage at the balcony pipe. My living room and 3 parquet floor bedrooms were flooded with at least 3 cm of water.

Called the town council and they sent a plumber to open the temp valve below my flat to let the water flow. My mattresses, beddings, walk-in wardrobe, bags with clothings, mini compo all kena.

We have to re-do the flooring, in order to do so, have to dismantle the wardrobe. All the affected clothings had sent for laundary.

Told Town Council we have to claim this against them and the flood was caused by the chokage from the main pipe. They came and said that it was because someone staying above me was doing their washing after renovation. They summoned the contractor to site. Guess what? He was our ex idiot contractor! What a small world!

Question time: do you think we can still lodge a claim against this contractor that he did not do a good job for the water levelling in my house? The water level at kitchen side obviously is higher than the living room thus cause the water to flow to all my rooms.

**** sian!

u got try go Case and complain?

Edited December 17, 2007 by chrispy

[grace teng 0]

u got try go Case and complain?

CASE? Not much help. Went there when we started the renovation and seek for their help. They recommended us to go SCT directly instead.

[sanjing 0]

really sad to hear all these issues being brought up. I think you guys shld report this to the New Paper and allow these idiotic contractor to have some karma. Better still, take down their pictures and post somewhere on the net and let pple noe, whenever they see this bugger, RUN!

Disillusion, summerain, can PM me the ID/contractor's company and name? Thanks

[LouiseBrown 0]

This is a real nightmare!

So sorry to hear abt this. My experience with the SCT is not satisfactory.

It is basically a mediator, meaning U concede something and the other party concedes something. It does not seemed to be justice-driven. U have to sue in a civil court if U want justice.

Edited December 20, 2007 by LouiseBrown

[phoenix 0]

hi disillusioned,

really sorry to hear what u had to go through.

now i'm feeling really scared.. hope i don't kanna one like that, if not it'd be nitemare! can PM me which contractor is this?

[junkoman 0]

Disillusioned...Really sorry to hear what you had gone thru

Hear already I also scared now....Can PM me the details too~

thanks~

[Disillusioned 0]

CASE? Not much help. Went there when we started the renovation and seek for their help. They recommended us to go SCT directly instead.

So sorry to hear about what happened to you. Its so sad to be the innocent victim of dishonest IDs who are just out there trying to cheat our money. It must have been really costly to try and put everything back after the flood.

I agree with you that CASE is of no help in our case. Frankly I think CASE is of no help at all... coz they require you to have sufficient evidence in black and white and even then sometimes they also cannot help you. Sigh.... Sometimes I really wonder what they are good for. And they make themself look so good and helpful on the media.

I'm not sure if SCT would be helpful to you too... coz it is true that they will ask to mediate first and normally such IDs would have loads of untruths to say during mediation such that no conclusion can be drawn by the registrar since they have to be "fair" and listen to both sides.

I do hope all ends here for you tho... that no more problems will surface.

Such incidences really making living in the new house a nightmare.... not knowing what will break down next. Haiz.....

[h4happy 1]

Can I say this contractor I encountered desplicable?

Ask for quote, never give me.

Say quote not accurate if give now.

Always ask me to give him a chance to let him do.

But when ask for quoation, no news.

Not even a mail when I requested him to send over.

Can even tell me better let customer to call him than he call the customers. What service is that?

And he's driving malaysian car in Spore!

1) My neighbour nearly gana chopped by him. Order more tiles for his 4 room (JM) unit. More than 100 + pieces. Reason given tiles make get chipped, etc......

Then in a twist, ask my friend how many tiles you want to order!!

Will you let this contractor do?

2) When a contractor tell you, I do big project, not small (3 room unit), will you let him do?

[summerholiday 2]

one id i ask for quoatation, i signed with another id and start my reno, then his quotation arrive..

guess he was busy..

one thing.... y this kind of contractor that do improper reno, y don get their license revoke or out of radac if they are radac accredited.. so that they can come out to get another victim?

is there a way to revoke their license?

[vampree 0]

I agree with you that CASE is of no help in our case. Frankly I think CASE is of no help at all... coz they require you to have sufficient evidence in black and white and even then sometimes they also cannot help you. Sigh.... Sometimes I really wonder what they are good for. And they make themself look so good and helpful on the media.

I'm not sure if SCT would be helpful to you too... coz it is true that they will ask to mediate first and normally such IDs would have loads of untruths to say during mediation such that no conclusion can be drawn by the registrar since they have to be "fair" and listen to both sides.

dis-honest reno contractors are just like parallel importers for cars ... if they get bad reviews or sued, they simply close down and open/register a new one .. the losers are still the consumers ... sigh.

the saying "if it is too cheap to be true, then it is probably not" still valid .. but then who does not want a good deal eh ?