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Lemon Law....finally!

Soya

By Soya,
in General Car Discussion

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Soya

Soya

Supersonic

Read that it will cover used cars from ah beng dealers too. [thumbsup]

 

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SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has proposed changes to laws aimed at protecting consumers against unfair business practices.

 

The proposed amendments to the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act and Hire Purchase Act, introduced in Parliament on Tuesday, will pave the way for the so-called "lemon law".

 

"Lemon laws" refer to consumer protection laws that provide remedies for consumers against latent defects in goods, colloquially known as "lemons", which fail to meet standards of quality and performance, especially after repeated repair.

 

For example, if a defect is found in a product within six months of delivery, it is assumed the defect existed at the time of delivery. It is then up to the retailer to prove otherwise.

 

In such cases, consumers can ask the retailer to repair or replace the defective product.

 

If the cost of repair outweighs the replacement, the retailer can choose to replace the product, and vice versa.

 

If the retailer fails to repair or replace the product within a "reasonable time" or "without insignificant inconvenience" to the consumer, the consumer may ask for a reduction in price or return the product for a refund.

 

If the retailer fails to do either, consumers may bring the matter to the Small Claims Tribunal.

 

The amendments, targeted to take effect in September, are designed to make commercial transactions more transparent.

 

The "lemon law" does not in general apply to goods with a short life span such as consumables and food.

 

Meanwhile, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said consumers can look forward to seek redress more effectively when they're are sold defective goods.

 

It said it believes this will also raise the standards of providing quality products.

 

CASE said this in a statement on Tuesday after changes were proposed to the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act and Hire Purchase Act in Parliament.

 

It said it has been pushing for such a provision, as the number of cases it has received for defective products has been increasing over the years.

 

These consumers felt shortchanged after they were sold defective products and were not able to seek redress effectively.

 

In 2007, there were 1,410 cases. This rose to 1,928 in 2008.

 

The number dropped in 2009 to 1,652.

 

In 2010, it increased to 1,753, and to 1,793 in 2011.

 

Last year, the biggest number was for furniture with 467 cases, followed by electrical and electronic goods with 338 cases and mobile phones with 301 cases.

 

CASE said one area of concern is the defective products sold may not be rectified, even when they've been sent for repair several times.

 

MTI believes the changes would not impact honest retailers, but would instead weed out the unscrupulous ones.

 

Previously, there was no specific provision to deal with repairs and replacements.

 

The proposed amendments followed a public consultation exercise conducted by MTI from December 2010 to January 2011.

 

- CNA/cc/ir/wk

 

 

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Joseph22

Joseph22

Turbocharged

Think it only apply to new goods and not used second hand goods. Also, direct seller is not a RETAILER. The article mentioned "retailer" and not "seller". [:p]

heard from radio (FM93.3) it apply to used car from car seller too

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Kangadrool

Kangadrool

Supersonic
(edited)

heard from radio (FM93.3) it apply to used car from car seller too

 

Very difficult to enforce lah. Seller can always excuse itself out due to buyer mods it (sticker, rims, filters, etc). Can also claim buyer pump wrong grade wrong brand of petrol. Never ending rubbish. [laugh]

 

Wah, nwxt time sell car must have full documentation (list down all parts) and picture of all areas and make buyer chop and sign. :D

Edited by Kangadrool
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Joseph22

Joseph22

Turbocharged

Very difficult to enforce lah. Seller can always excuse itself out due to buyer mods it (sticker, rims, filters, etc). Can also claim buyer pump wrong grade wrong brand of petrol. Never ending rubbish. [laugh]

 

Wah, nwxt time sell car must have full documentation (list down all parts) and picture of all areas and make buyer chop and sign. :D

 

Radio say the responsiblities fall on seller to proof innocent wor.. and key word is repeated repair of same problem.

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Kelvingoh45

Kelvingoh45

Clutched

What if a seller sells it to a dealer and the dealer sold it to a new buyer. After few weeks, gear box got problem.

Can the new buyer claim the damage from the dealer,can the dealer claim from the previous seller?

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Watwheels

Watwheels

Supersonic
(edited)

Chey! When I read to the part ;

"If the retailer fails to repair or replace the product within a "reasonable time" or "without insignificant inconvenience" to the consumer, the consumer may ask for a reduction in price or return the product for a refund.

 

If the retailer fails to do either, consumers may bring the matter to the Small Claims Tribunal."

 

If I'm a car retailer I die die also dun let ppl return the product or give any refunds. Let ppl go claim...less dan 10k. :D

 

 

 

According to small claims: "The Tribunals have jurisdiction to hear claims not exceeding $10,000.

 

Where the Claimant and the Respondent consent in writing, the jurisdiction can be raised to $20,000."

 

 

So anything exceeding 10k or 20k, you cannot claim eg. the whole car 1 for 1 exchange, some car's engine or gearbox cost more dan that. Are you sure this is a lemon law? Not 3, not 4. :D

Edited by Watwheels
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Watwheels

Watwheels

Supersonic

Sinkkapore where got so good one??? Don't be too happy with this new lemon law. Maybe we just have to live with lemons and make lemonade out of lemon, LLST. -_-

Buay tahan. They say until so noble, what protect consumers blah blah blah...

 

Go thru so much trouble for 10k or less. Looking at a 1.6L car average already cost 100k.

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2BDriver

2BDriver

Hypersonic
(edited)

If the retailer fails to do either, consumers may bring the matter to the Small Claims Tribunal.(copy & paste yours)

 

Hi, Bro Soya and All,

Don't be too happy about this NEW Singapore Lemon Law to becomes a effective, preventive or protective LAW for consumer interests, you may ask someone who had theirs nightmares and bad experiences in seeking claims and justice through Consumer Association And Small Claims Tribunal Sub Court.

Let me breifly tell you my 2 previous claims....(New Nokia HP Cheating case & another case in Sale with Invalid Cheque Paid) through these 2 channels in short, I can't believe my ears in listening all those officials sitting there and reciting the case.

Gave up hope completely and later changed my strategy to engaged my own Lawyer to sue the two unscupulous retailer idiots for JUSTICE SERVED ends up in spending much of my excessive time and monies instead :angry:

Edited by Fongmy
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Kiadaw

Kiadaw

6th Gear

When we do not have lemon law, people complain. Now we are going to have this law, people also complain.

 

Yes, our laws & enforcement is way way way (I did not accidentally press paste 2 times) behind other developed countries, but we must start somewhere.

 

IMO, this lemon law is a start, but like any law, it is only as good as the people enforcing it. Without this law, commoners doesn't even have a chance with bad retailers. The police & the toothless CASE may just ask you to engage your own Lawyer, & most retailer know most people won't engage a lawyer as its very costly.

 

 

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Soya

Soya

Supersonic
  • Author

If the retailer fails to do either, consumers may bring the matter to the Small Claims Tribunal.(copy & paste yours)

 

Hi, Bro Soya and All,

Don't be too happy about this NEW Singapore Lemon Law to becomes a effective, preventive or protective LAW for consumer interests, you may ask someone who had theirs nightmares and bad experiences in seeking claims and justice through Consumer Association And Small Claims Tribunal Sub Court.

Let me breifly tell you my 2 previous claims....(New Nokia HP Cheating case & another case in Sale with Invalid Cheque Paid) through these 2 channels in short, I can't believe my ears in listening all those officials sitting there and reciting the case.

Gave up hope completely and later changed my strategy to engaged my own Lawyer to sue the two unscupulous retailer idiots for JUSTICE SERVED ends up in spending much of my excessive time and monies instead :angry:

 

 

Sorry to hear abt ur plight. Last time dun hv such a law enacted in parliament so the retailers oso know CASE and SCT got no teeth and can get away wif murder.

 

Hopefully, now wif the law on our side, things will improve. Gahmen sure to publicise some prosecution cases in sep to show its no BS juz like what CEA did when it sent one agent to jail. Let's see who is the 'lucky' retailer that's gonna be made an example of.....

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