For the fifth consecutive year, the motorcar industry has topped the consumer complaints chart, notably for defects in cars, said the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) on Friday (Feb 17) as it released its annual consumer complaints numbers.

With a spike in complaints about pressure sale tactics, the beauty industry also jumped up to second place last year, overtaking the electrical and electronics sector.

Complaints against clubs, however, saw the biggest increase, jumping from the 10th spot to fifth spot with 1,126 complaints last year, up from 623 complaints in 2015. However the consumer watchdog noted the spike is largely due to the closing of California Fitness last July.

The introduction of the Lemon Law had led to an increase in the number of defective goods complaints, Case observed, rising from 3,377 in 2014 to 3,912 in 2015, and going up further to 4,319 last year.

Defects in motorcars, however, remain the top reason for consumers’ complaints, followed by electrical and electronics products, and handphones.

Of the 2,916 complaints against the motorcar industry, about 60 per cent involved pre-owned motorcars.

To address the high number of complaints, the consumer watchdog plans to organise an education roadshow in the central business district on March 16 and 17, in conjunction with World Consumer Rights Day, to educate consumers on their rights under the Lemon Law, and what they should look out for when buying a pre-owned car.

For the beauty industry, unfair sales tactics, such as promoting beauty packages while the customer is “undergoing treatment in a vulnerable position” and withholding the treatment if the consumer refuses to buy, accounted for the industry jumping up one rank.

From 215 complaints against such “pressure sales” tactics in 2014, last year, 367 complaints were lodged, with Case encouraging consumers to patronise businesses that are accredited with the watchdog instead.

Noting that the issue of businesses closing down “abruptly” after collecting large amounts of pre-payment from customers is a “serious” area of concern, the watchdog said: “We will continue to engage the relevant authorities and advocate for better prepayment protection in Singapore.”

While the Case will continue to champion consumer rights and promote fair trading in Singapore, its president Lim Biow Chuan said: “Consumers have to play their part as well, by knowing their rights and responsibilities as a consumer, and doing their own checks on businesses before signing the contract.”

Last year, Case received a total of 19,102 consumer complaints and achieved a 76.6 per cent resolution rate for filed cases.

Source:
courtesy of TODAY

by Today Online

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