Scamming Contractor to Pay RM25,000 Compensation for Unfinished Renovation

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A contractor was ordered to pay RM25,000 in compensation after being found guilty of attempting to scam a homeowner of her house renovation in Masai.

Claimant, Kym Leong, 35, successfully won the case against her contractor when its representative failed to show up for the hearing, reported The Star.      

However, tribunal president Rashidah Abu Bakar explained that it was the tribunal’s jurisdiction to order a maximum of RM25,000 compensation – just half of the RM47,504 requested by the claimant.

The contractor stands to face criminal charges for failure to pay the claim within 14 days of the tribunal’s decision.

According to Leong, a bank manager, the contractor she hired to renovate her new house went missing and became uncontactable after she had paid in excess of 90% of the total renovation costs.

"I started engaging the contractor in June last year and made the first payment on the same month."

Leong also added that, "A total of RM74,172 was paid in the span of six months since he started working for me as he consistently asked for money to buy materials."

Only a total value of RM26,667 of the total renovation cost had been completed before the contractor stopped showing up for work, who also became uncontactable since this January.

She later also found out that the contractor had stolen an original window frame, access card and keys to the house.

Further reading:

Is Your Contractor Cheating You? How to Avoid Scamming Contractors in Malaysia.

"Finding" a Reliable Contractor Could Start with You.

Scammers and Imposters not Welcome.