House Buyer Cheated Of S$5,000 Deposit

Source : Channel NewsAsia, 20 Mar 2008

A house buyer was cheated of S$5,000 when she was buying a five-room resale flat in Woodlands.

Wong Git Siow said: "Since I was already buying the house, and... she (the flat owner) said she did not have enough money for the New Year, I did not mind giving her the $5,000 deposit."

Ms Wong claimed that the flat owner changed her mind after receiving the S$5,000 deposit, and never returned the money.

She also said that the owner failed to bring the relevant documents on two separate occasions when she tried to seal the deal last November.

The owner has been missing in action since then.

Ms Wong had applied for a house loan and if it is cancelled, she will have to pay a penalty of S$2,000.

She added that the seller had taken a S$2,500 loan from the property agent and did not pay back.

Both Ms Wong and the property agent have filed a police report and reported the matter to the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE).

But CASE pointed out that this case is not within its jurisdiction as it only deals with companies and agencies. It advised Ms Wong and the property agent to approach a lawyer instead.

The transaction period for the flat expired earlier this month. - CNA/ac