12 victims and counting: Man abandons renovation projects, wife files missing persons report

[The_King]

When her interior designer disappeared midway while renovating her four-room Jurong resale flat, homeowner Afiqah felt helpless. 

She reckoned that her renovations are only about 10 per cent complete now. 

"Wiring, plumbing, etc not done. Only tiling halfway done," she complained on Instagram last Tuesday (May 16).  

But after getting into contact with a few other homeowners including Wong Noorina May, the 28-year-old soon realised that she wasn't the only one left hanging by the same man. 

In fact, to date, there are 12 other victims just like her, she said. Some of them reached out to her after coming across her Instagram post. 

Afiqah said she engaged the interior designer on Jan 8. This interior designer is her property agent's husband, she told AsiaOne in an interview. 

"We engaged her around November 2022. She mentioned that her husband is an interior designer.

"We are friendly with our agent so sometimes she will bring [her husband] along for our house hunting. He would give inputs on how he would design the house," shared Afiqah. 

So, after purchasing her resale flat, she thought it just made sense for him to help her with the renovations. 

Afiqah said she was quoted $68,000 for the renovations and had to pay a 30 per cent deposit, followed by a 40 per cent amount for items including kitchen accessories and air-con units. 

"He [said he] needs to pay the vendor first, which is why the beginning payment [was] so high," explained Afiqah. 

So, in total, she said she paid him some $48,221 in January, which is about 70 per cent of the full amount. 

Missing persons report made

During the renovation period — which started in mid-April and was supposed to end by July — Afiqah said she made frequent visits to the unit to check on the renovation progress at least twice a week. 

She thought everything was going smoothly until her property agent, the wife of the contractor, called her in early May. 

"Actually, we did not notice anything amiss with our renovations until his wife called us on May 6 saying that [he] has not been contactable since May 2 and she has made a missing person's report on May 4," Afiqah told AsiaOne. 

To confirm this, she checked the interior designer's socials and was horrified to find that the company's TikTok account and Facebook have been deleted. 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by ❀ⒶⒻⒾⓆⒶⒽ❀ (@afjoe.aj)

In the meantime, she said she is living with her parents and there are a total of six people, including herself, housed under one roof. 

And soon, there will be seven because her sister is giving birth soon. 

Afiqah said she has since made a police report. In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police confirmed a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing.

AsiaOne has also tried calling the interior designer's number and found that it is no longer in use. 

Not the only victim

To date, a total of 12 victims have reached out to Afiqah to share their stories, she said, adding that some have been owed money since five years ago. 

One of them is Wong, who spoke with AsiaOne on May 17. 

She was supposed to move in with her family this month and paid $45,000 out of the $55,000 quoted price for the renovations. 

As of now, only 10 to 20 per cent of the renovation works have been completed, she said. 

Apart from incomplete paint jobs and issues with the wiring, the ceiling fans and air-con units from the previous owners, which were still in good condition, had allegedly been stolen by the contractors. 

Currently, she and her family are looking for an interior designer to help complete their renovations and they are living in between houses with family and relatives. 

[coffeenut]

5 minutes ago, The_King said:

This interior designer is her property agent's husband, she told AsiaOne in an interview. 

 

She thought everything was going smoothly until her property agent, the wife of the contractor, called her in early May. 

"Actually, we did not notice anything amiss with our renovations until his wife called us on May 6 saying that [he] has not been contactable since May 2 and she has made a missing person's report on May 4," Afiqah told AsiaOne. 

 

In the meantime, she said she is living with her parents and there are a total of six people, including herself, housed under one roof. 

And soon, there will be seven because her sister is giving birth soon. 

 

 

[The_King]

run road liao

[Coffee_O]

file small claim. her wife will be liable also. doesn't mean file missing person her wife will not be liable. but of cos have to see if sole propertary or pte ltd 

but i'm surprised people still so guilible to pay so much in advance

[XianGe]

Per couple 50k need 20 couples can be millionaire

[The_King]

6 hours ago, Coffee_O said:

file small claim. her wife will be liable also. doesn't mean file missing person her wife will not be liable. but of cos have to see if sole propertary or pte ltd 

but i'm surprised people still so guilible to pay so much in advance

No choice the market is not regulated, all reno before start work already ask u pay at least 70%

[Satki]

Hey we live in a world where the people in power react when they lose face. This kind is not reflecting on them so it will be like CASE.

 

I think when my time comes, I will go for the bigger and more established companies.

 

anyone know of one? I could use them soon.

 

Work needed:

- Change metal gate

- Change all casement windows

- Change all sliding windows

- Polish floor

- Repaint the whole house (including ceiling)

- Replace a 4 Fan Coil air con unit with new trunking

 

 

Cheers

[Coffee_O]

15 hours ago, The_King said:

No choice the market is not regulated, all reno before start work already ask u pay at least 70%

yup i kena once before also. thats why i know that case is a useless org and a toothless tiger. there is no consumer protection in singapore at all

[ManOfTheHour]

Confirm is ROP guy

only ROP like to engage their own kind out of trust in religion over using common sense

 

this is what you get for having faith 

@noobmaster

[The_King]

16 minutes ago, Coffee_O said:

yup i kena once before also. thats why i know that case is a useless org and a toothless tiger. there is no consumer protection in singapore at all

that why my home reno, they do the basic one like installing flooring, hack wall, rain shower and build a door frame. that it......

 

 

the rest i diy or find them do one stuff at a times

[ODACHEK]

Heng moi 4-rm flat reno cost SGD10K nia....nobardy wanna run road with 10K...

[XianGe]

3 hours ago, ODACHEK said:

Heng moi 4-rm flat reno cost SGD10K nia....nobardy wanna run road with 10K...

 

If they need 10k to hit quota they will

[The_King]

23 hours ago, Satki said:

Hey we live in a world where the people in power react when they lose face. This kind is not reflecting on them so it will be like CASE.

 

I think when my time comes, I will go for the bigger and more established companies.

 

anyone know of one? I could use them soon.

 

Work needed:

- Change metal gate

- Change all casement windows

- Change all sliding windows

- Polish floor

- Repaint the whole house (including ceiling)

- Replace a 4 Fan Coil air con unit with new trunking

 

 

Cheers

I know a contractor who been in the market using the same company for over 30yr Liao.

 

Will update when my reno start in oct

[Satki]

1 hour ago, The_King said:

I know a contractor who been in the market using the same company for over 30yr Liao.

 

Will update when my reno start in oct

 

 

OK I will monitor this as I will need year end

[The_King]

1 hour ago, Satki said:

 

 

OK I will monitor this as I will need year end

i think i start a reno thread when ready

[ManOfTheHour]

10 hours ago, ODACHEK said:

Heng moi 4-rm flat reno cost SGD10K nia....nobardy wanna run road with 10K...

As long as never hack floor, will be cheap