Been a while since I logged into lowyat, just found out something is wrong with my account (original one was Hammer278) saying it does not exist. No idea why. Been a regular for years but stopped logging in since before pandemic.

I apologise if this is not suitable area for this post - moderator may relocate or advise where I can post this. But I find this section most relevant for awareness of those concerned.

My wife and I have been duped by a contractor who was listed on Recommend.my and also listed on CIDB.....where the work done on our house was crap, they never came close to finishing the project, and the worst part is keeping our excess money (which he owes us for work not done).

Allegedly, his own subcontractor is also owed thousands, his own worker was not paid his full salary on silly excuses. Worker also made a police report recently and shared with me. So this contractors modus operandi is to cheat people off a few thousand here and there, and knows they can't do much since going to court is very expensive.

Now he owes us over 15k and refusing to refund it, this amount not including all damages incurred which we are now going to sue him for in full. Police report made, lawsuit filed but this case needs to be exposed. The problem is people like this are scraping off thousands from people here and there knowing they will not take the trouble to go to court for this amount. Even our amount we were really debating if we should but we are going ahead despite already in the trenches thanks to our money stuck with this ****** contractor.

I implore you to help upvote my review under 'Bimmer online' on Recommend.my - a website which has washed their hands off this case saying they are just "middlemen", fine as they haven't breached their T&C. But I want to expose this contractor to as many as I can.

In my review you see more details of the actual scenario. Since this is new account and am under probation I can't share the direct link and have attached an image instead.

If there are any other channels you can advise where I can spread this word pls do inform, we are willing to talk to anyone, newspaper, the press, who might be keen on this case. Now we don't have a house to move into yet since money stuck with this contractor and new contractor finishing up works need payment. I have to withdraw from other investments to settle up. Should have moved in by May but now looks like end of August. Renting a small apartment now, we have a 4 month old girl some more and this has been a hell of an experience since May chasing, arguing, etc. Shocking to see a contractor like this actually listed on CIDB and actually listed on Recommend.my. Shows how much background check is done by these 'authorities' and we can't trust anything these days apart from good referrals.

We were following up with a few at this time, all our referrals were busy since it was around CNY time and only this person was promptly coming back with quotation, etc so we had no choice but to proceed with this character. But in hindsight, we made a big mistake and should have just waited a few weeks....but easy to think in hindsight.


https://pictr.com/images/2022/08/02/B3P7kY.md.png

I seem to not be able to even edit my own post, I would like to take back the word 'cheat' mentioned once in above post since it has not been proven as yet.

Here's my online review in attached image.

https://pictr.com/images/2022/08/02/B3PgGc.md.png

Done. That's a terrible renovation job after I saw some of your photos on your review. I hope you can get back what is belongs to you.! These kind of contractor should be banned for life.

Appreciate the support, though every single person who hears this story I count it as a small victory.

The amount is not large to excite people but that's why its dangerous in its own way, this sort of money makes a big difference to majority families who go though utter sh*t and there are people doing these sort of acts every day to others and must be exposed.

TS sorry to hear you got a crappy contractor.

but as usual they will sarahan their sub-contractor as if we dunno they are responsible for them as they hired them to do the job.

thanks for viralling it for awareness.

unfortunately crook contractor are pretty rampant these days. had a bad experience myself.

i hope TS can get back the monies and wish the contractor get what he deserved, fined or even jail.

How do you see the reviews ?

done upvoting. Sorry for your experience. That is why sometimes the cheapest quote may not be the best

Sorry to learn your bad renovation experience with the contractor. As I am new to Recommend.my, how to upvote your review? Can't find 'Reviews'

Even I got one from atap.my that cost roughly RM 100k also didnt do any good.

It's nearly impossible to get a good contractor / Interior designers that manages it AiO.
Usually they will subcontract it to some smaller contractors with inflated prices, earning a whopping 50%.

I do feel ya bro.

I totally agreed with this statement after my bad experience with this AiO thing. If you have sufficient time, it's better managing the reno your own and engage reputable party which specialize in their own individual field.

It get you the control on the requirement and payment as well.

Forget about the interior design, just pay and ask someone to draw it.

Yeah. You really have to filter and check each and every contractor for each segment.
It does take a lot of time and effort, not to mention petrol.
But at least the prices and workmanship is controlled.

Win some, lose some.
Can't expect 100% win.

Wow why wouldn't Recommend.my step in? Isn't the whole point of going through their website so that they can act as an intermediary when these kinda situation occurs? Might as well get the contact of the contractor and directly deal with the contractor. Was considering to use them but now having second thoughts.

i feel you bro. my house renovation was 70% complete but we've given the 95% payment. now the contractor say he is going to have stroke soon and refuse to come and do the remaining work...ass hole

See if you can search their company from CIDB

https://cims.cidb.gov.my/smis/regcontractor...ntractor.vbhtml

If so, may raise complain

https://cidb.spab.gov.my/eApps/system/index.do

Wow, Mtech contacted me via Recommend to do defect rectification work.
I asked them if they can do ID work while doing defect fixing. They said they can but on the weekend where they were supposed to do site visit, they ghosted me.
Lucky I met up with other ID's on the day otherwise my weekend would have been wasted.

Conveniently said they cannot support either party and "advised" me to take it to court.

According to their T&C they are just a bridge connecting contractor to client, if we approve money to be released (while its with Recommend) and Recommend releases the money, from there its not their problem anymore. our mistake was approving this initial money to be released since the contractor was pestering us to release as he has to start the job which he did, but rubbish work and couldn't even complete 50% worth of it.

But on Recommend website, all sorts of promises and assurances on the home page itself....only after experiencing it we learned our lesson.

Even before confirming this contractor I checked and they are indeed listed on CIDB

I even emailed CIDB sharing this case, I tell you they are as good as nothing when it comes to disputes. They simply said again, take it to civil court and we will update our database depending on the outcome.

That's why I didn't even waste time with Tribunal, this guy is one dodgy character who is going to dodge/ignore any Tribunal attempts, straight went with lawyer for lawsuit. Only threat of jail time will make him react.

Can you imagine a contractor who cheats his own subcontractors, doesn't pay his own worker the money, steals from his clients.....and CIDB still keeps the listing "impending court result". I even told CIDB I can supply all the proof, pics, convos - but their email is some standard response "Pls update us when court result comes out" which will be in a few months. By then for sure others will get conned already.

You dodged 1 big bullet...congratulations.