Mr Calvin Ho's condominium unit had incomplete works such as a washroom without a door and missing light switches at some parts of the house. SINGAPORE: A home owner hires an interior designer and pays the firm a large sum, but it doesn't deliver what it should. What can he do?after it failed to complete renovation works on time. Several were granted orders from the Small Claims Tribunal for refunds.
This low barrier to entry means that anyone can set up a renovation or interior design firm, and instances of fly-by-night companies are not unheard of, said TBG Interior Design’s director Michael Ong. This deters consumers who are already mentally or financially exhausted from pursuing the matter further, said Mr Ong.
The Singapore Renovation Contractors and Material Suppliers Association, for example, launched an academy in 2021 with courses focusing on both skills training and business ethics, said the academy’s director Gena Thien. About 300 interior designers have been accredited under three categories that are determined by education, skills and competencies, as well as experience in the industry.
The two industry groups said they would not hesitate to remove individuals if there are valid complaints. So far, no one has been taken off their lists due to misconduct. With service offerings differing widely across the industry, the association is also hoping to roll out industry standards that cover areas such as standardising contracts and quotations, as well as what comes under the job scope of an interior designer.
“A regulatory regime to make sure that designers are only able to practise if they hold a licence is good because if there’s a licence at stake, then errant companies will reconsider doing things that might compromise a home owner,” said Mr Ong. “Consumers’ education on fair practice and reasonable acceptance is important as well,” said Mr Ong. “At the end of the day, there cannot be one-sided guidelines that lean towards consumers.”
The Singapore Renovation Contractors and Material Suppliers Association and Society of Interior Designers Singapore hope their certification and accreditation schemes can serve as another checkpoint for home owners. Based on a model agreement on home renovation available on CASE’s website, the typical milestones and amounts are as follows:80 per cent paid progressively as each stage of the renovation work is completed