Tampines Singapore On going Rental Scam

[x9200]

He has a tenant and takes money from a number of people where this money suppose to guaranty the place for each and every person for exactly the same flat occupied by the tenant.
I just can not imagine how this LL could defend himself from the fraud charges except of being mentally ill. Fraud is criminal.

[x9200]

x9200, makes no difference. Even in Bankruptcy, the HDB flats are exempt from liquidation and the landlord knows it.

That's bad.

[JR8]

Action has been taken in similar case in past and I believe it should happen in this case as well
http://www.spf.gov.sg/mic/2014/01/20140 ... cam_F.html

Ok, fair enough and good stuff, it looks like I was mistaken.
I find it interesting none the less, as back home there is a line between civil and criminal matters, and the police won't go near 'Landlord and Tenant' issues. Presumably the financial aspect of this is above simply L+T law civil...

So, you have your cue - go and report him for cheating. The police can hardly refuse to take your report (take a print out of your linked article, and point out it's the same situation).

I'd be interested to hear how you get on.

[ecureilx]

Have you tried to approach an MP? ?

MP? nowadays no Singapore IC, no meeting MP is becoming the norm, from what I have seen, and MP will not give orders to SPF.

as why why police don't get involved in civil disputes, if they do, the cops will be very busy with a lot of he said- she said cases .... on a Friday night that can be a hundred ....

[Pradeep Kumar Boora]

Have you tried to approach an MP? ?

MP? nowadays no Singapore IC, no meeting MP is becoming the norm, from what I have seen, and MP will not give orders to SPF.

as why why police don't get involved in civil disputes, if they do, the cops will be very busy with a lot of he said- she said cases .... on a Friday night that can be a hundred ....

Just to update more on things gone so far.
We also filed a single police report stating multiple victim and LL in same report. Police was also updated that action has been taken in similar case in past but Police said still you need to goto SCT for help and it's still a civil matter and criminal one. They said it is upto officer in charge to decide the action. We are still hopefull that Police is there to help and things might move towards justice.
We tried to meet local MP. Local MP meets only citizens and we were not allowed to meet him. His colleagues though assure us of help and that he will take this with Police and HDB.
We also HDB complaint but HDB maintained this is private matter. Current owner is only allowed to sublet the flat and not staying in current flat. He is having only room rental permission from HDB and we are looking towards HDB to take action on illegal subletting.
We sent mails to our Embassy for which we dint get any reply.
This was our hard earned money and we were cheated very brazenly, we have to bring this to logical conclusion whatever efforts it may took further....

[zzm9980]

We tried to meet local MP. Local MP meets only citizens and we were not allowed to meet him.

Well duh. Why would MP help you take action against one of his constituents?

[Pradeep Kumar Boora]

We tried to meet local MP. Local MP meets only citizens and we were not allowed to meet him.

Well duh. Why would MP help you take action against one of his constituents?

We hope any person including any MP will help in upholding the justice and help to prevent any scam and will not always be only interested in his constituents ? He has also responsibility to upheld image of nation and to stop anything going wrong under his constituency. I knew we may not be anyone to remind him his duty we are just looking for help.

[martincymru]

Do a deal with the existing tenant.

Existing tenant stops paying rent. See how the owner deals with that.

If existing tenant does not play ball then break in and say "sorry, thought I was the tenant" "innocent mistake"

If you know where owner lives, then embarrass him to his neighbours.... etc

[Pradeep Kumar Boora]

He has taken the advance rent for cmg months from existing tenant.
No one including existing tenant knew where the owner staying currently.

[Beeroclock]

Dear Friends

This is my true story for which conclusion is yet to come. Four family put advt on Gumtree seeking flat on rent. In response one HDB owner from tampines contacted potential tenants and has signed tenancy agreement with all including me almost at same time in period of one month. On last minute he canceled the deal with everyone with one reason or another and holds back most of good faith advance given to him(one month rent and one month deposit). Till now I have four cases in my knowledge with whom he has done it. He keep on making some excuse not to return money. He is still contacting potential tenants.

Three victims has filed the police report. Police has asked us to seek SCT help. We all three went to SCT and SCT has ordered him to return the money back in three cases. Still he has not return the money and we are still exploring legel options to get our hard earned money back. Money is just one part in such case but kind of frustration and mental trauma ( feeling to get cheated) is another part.

If anyone has faced similar scam kindly help us on our options on it.

1. Regarding getting your money back, I would keep a low expectation. You got the SCT ruling but that seems to be the easy part, now for enforcing the order (see below link). As we have seen from another poster it is extremely difficult if you don't know the address of the other party (therefore cannot use Writ of Seizure and Sale). But you did have his bank account number so maybe you can try the Garnishee proceeding, and claim from the bank directly ? See attached link. Like you mentioned it is a long process and even still at the end of it may prove fruitless.

2. Regarding the desire for justice, the best chance is to pressure the police to make a criminal case for the cheating/fraud. There must be a threshold where his behavior is seen as systematic, and I don't know how many cases that is. But if you have 3 police reports already, it seems too much of a pattern in my opinion to just consider these as civil disputes / misunderstandings. I would keep pressing the police I/O to progress the case and as JR8 said, point out it is identical to the case published on their own website ! However, ironically, if you are successful in this, you may have even less chance of getting your money back after he serves time in prision and/or pays fines !!

https://app.subcourts.gov.sg/Data/Files ... 202013.pdf

[martincymru]

since you say he is still advertising then get one of your friends to pose as a prospective tenant. Arrange to meet... then you can "deal" with him.

//
stamp duty - anyone care to comment?

[JR8]

// stamp duty - anyone care to comment?

The personal moral duty one feels to stamp on such a persons head?

[Pradeep Kumar Boora]

since you say he is still advertising then get one of your friends to pose as a prospective tenant. Arrange to meet... then you can "deal" with him.

//
stamp duty - anyone care to comment?

What we will get even if some how we manage to meet him again.
He is morally corrupt and least bothered even of possible police or court action and in Singapore any kind of confrontation will be in his favour.
We are looking towards Police for our help. I hope and believe our faith in strict law and order of Singapore will not be shattered and finally we will get justice.

[ecureilx]

. I hope and believe our faith in strict law and order of Singapore will not be shattered and finally we will get justice.

strong words

try to get him to assault you and cops will pick him up fast

oh, you didn't hear that from me ....

btw, the fact that so many people have given you clear direction that police don't involve in civil matters seems not getting into you, other than you Good Faith deposit out of Norm ...

just my 2 cents

[x9200]

@ecureilx, this was mostly you who gave him this "direction" and JR8 who later seemed to back off after reading the SPF webpage, so not to use some stronger words, I suggest you read this thread more carefully. It is clearly a case for the police and it is frankly shocking that they don't want to take any action.