HDB says, beware of fake contractors

Don’t entertain contractors that offer to perform repair job on your Housing Board apartment if you have a suspicion that they’re not HDB-registered.

This HDB advice came after complaints from the residents of Marine Drive about a contractor who roam around offering free repair jobs.

An angry housewife, named Ms. Chan Swee Poa living in Block 71, Marine Drive, needs her deposit back amounting to $50 from the contractor known as Team Work Renovation. Ms. Chan, 55, thought the contractor had a right to repair a leak in her apartment.

Just recently, an HDB contractor fixed a leaking wall in her apartment for no charge. However, as time passed, a number of holes appeared. Thus, when a guy sent by the contractor Team Work came at her door, she let him in and agreed to fix the holes.

Miss Chan agreed because earlier, the contractor had left a flyer, which looks like an official flyer from the HDB, at her door.

The note kicked off Ms. Chan, even though it had no logo. The notes also had lines like “We are pleased to inform you that we will be conducting ceiling patching work regarding various ceiling problems at (sic) your apartment block”.

Miss Chan said that it seemed like it was from the Housing Board.

She was then told to place a deposit after she agreed on the repair job. Ms. Chan placed down $50 for the $300 work.

Later she contacted the Marine Parade Town Council, which told her that the contractor Team Work Renovation is not registered.

“I asked to get my deposit back, but the contractor told me it was my fault for signing a contract and hung up”, Ms. Chan said.

Other Marine Drive residents had also been encountered by the contractor Team Work Renovation.

One housewife from Block 66, in the name of Mrs. Lee, 39, said, “Before Christmas, HDB fixed a leak from outside the building for us”. She said that the town council had at least sent her three letters with its logo all over the process.

Mrs. Lee didn’t agree to let Team Work do repair job on his flat as she was suspicious of its flyer.

In 10 March, the town council placed notices for Marine Drive residents, ordering them to be mindful of faked contractors.

It does “occasionally receive feedback from residents concerning contractors soliciting for work from them”, a spokesman said.

She cited such act typically appeared while a city district or a precinct is being improved. At this case, Marine Drive’s Blocks 60–79 are experiencing a lift uprating plan.

The Home Development Board (HDB) posted the same notice at the lift lobbies of involved blocks last week.

“Team Work Renovation is not registered with HDB and HDB did not appoint them to carry out any works in HDB flats”, an HDB spokesman said.

She advised that citizens must ignore crooked contractors and let them know that their services are not needed.