Clause for a Cause to Evict Errant Retailers
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PARTB HOME MONEY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 B1 SPORT B2 Small-car COE price at 5-month low B6 Just one doc for his many chronic ailments Clause for LICENCE TO EVICT Whether they (the landlords) want to kick tenants out is up to them, but they might have a bit a cause to more obligation to take action against their tenants with the new clauses. – An MCST spokesman evict errant they might have a bit more obliga- tion to take action against their tenants with the new clauses.” retailers Several shops in Sim Lim Square have hit the headlines re- cently for the wrong reasons. In November, a Vietnamese Sim Lim Square landlords can set tourist was seen on his knees beg- ging for a refund after being alleg- conditions in new tenancy contracts edly overcharged for an iPhone. Since then, complaints against Sim Lim traders have fallen. By JESSICA LIM Singapore (Case) and Singapore An average of 10 were received CONSUMER CORRESPONDENT Tourism Board – have received each month from January to Octo- and CHERYL FAITH WEE five or more consumer complaints ber last year but just 10 in total against a tenant, its sub-tenant or (Above) Business remains slow on the first and second floors of Sim Lim Square. (Below) Police on Nov 16 removing were received for November and SIM Lim Square is a mall best employee within a month. documents and products from Mobile Air shop, whose shady sales tactics drew complaints. PHOTOS: LAU FOOK KONG, ST FILE December – the height of the known for its electronics stores – They can also be given their shopping season. Last month, on- and, occasionally, traders who marching orders if they have a ly two complaints were made. indulge in unsavoury sales tactics. bankruptcy order made against to include such rules in my agree- It seems such negative publici- Now its landlords are being giv- them, are struck off the Register ments to protect myself, but whe- ty is taking effect. Two errant en the chance to evict tenants of Businesses, or are determined ther my tenant would agree is an- traders at another problematic who misbehave, by tweaking new by a court to have flouted the Con- other matter. They might not sign mall, People’s Park Complex, shut tenancy agreements to include a sumer Protection (Fair Trading) if such clauses are put in.” down in December after being con- special clause. Act. He also wondered if landlords tacted by Case. It could mean, for example, The clauses also make it com- would include the clause because The strata-titled mall is work- that a trader who receives a set pulsory for tenants to compensate kicking out a tenant would mean ing with the consumer watchdog number of customer complaints a landlords for some costs when inconvenience and rental losses. to set up a complaints booth. month can be kicked out. they take back a unit, such as loss The MCST’s move comes after Complaints against retailers at On Dec 30, the mall’s manage- of rent. Case wrote to the mall in Decem- Lucky Plaza are also down. The ment corporation strata title So far at least 13 landlords – all ber asking it to make sure land- mall received nine last year, down (MCST) council issued sample sitting on the mall’s MCST coun- lords enforce stricter rental pacts. from 30 in 2013 and 63 in 2012. clauses to the 300-plus landlords cil – have agreed to include the Sim Lim Square’s management However, business is quiet at in a four-page circular. new clauses in their tenancy con- replied that it is unable to compel Sim Lim and some shoppers are They were drawn up in two tracts when their leases expire. landlords to kick out tenants who avoiding it. Senior technical spe- weeks by the MCST’s lawyer and, The hope is that more will run dishonest businesses, or to cialist Darryl Chua, 26, said: “The among other things, spell out cir- follow suit – though not all are force them to sell their units. reputation of the mall is not fan- cumstances in which a landlord convinced their tenants will agree An MCST spokesman said this tastic. I have even less of an incen- could kick out a tenant. to them. is still the case but added: “Whe- tive to go there now.” One is when the authorities – Mr Philip Lee, 52, who rents ther they (the landlords) want to [email protected] like the Consumers Association of out two units, said: “I would like kick tenants out is up to them, but [email protected] B2 HOME THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 Small car COE price at five-month low Do Not Call PRICES of car and commercial ve- of $70,890. In absolute terms, which can be used for any vehicle hicle certificates of entitlement this category posted the biggest type but end up mainly for bigger (COEs) ended lower in the latest drop, of nearly $6,000. cars, dropped 6.3 per cent to tender yesterday on the back of a There are 11,298 COEs availa- $71,921 – also a three-month low. larger supply of certificates. ble to car buyers from this month Commercial vehicle COE price The COE premium for cars up to April – 23 per cent more than dipped 5.3 per cent to $52,101 as Registry to 1,600cc and 130bhp slid 4.6 in the previous three months, and demand tapered ahead of an ex- per cent to a five-month low of more than double the supply for pected economic slowdown. $62,002. The COE price for cars the corresponding period last But the motorbike COE pre- above 1,600cc or 130bhp fell by year. mium bucked the trend by climb- 7.8 per cent to a three-month low The premium for Open COEs, ing 12.6 per cent to hit a new fees ‘too high’ record of $5,504 as marginal car buyers edged out by the car loans curb moved over to two-wheel- ers. There is no restriction on mo- vice. This is despite the DNC being launched only WEAKNESS IN CATEGORY B torbike loans. Charging less for checking 13 months ago, and containing fewer numbers than Motor industry sources expect the likes of its established British or United States It’s good that there wasn’t a collapse. But COE premiums to continue to phone numbers will help counterparts. trend downwards for the rest of The PDPC can investigate and punish companies clearly, we see there is weakness in Category B the year, with sharper falls in compliance, say marketers that break the rules, such as a tuition agency that (cars above 1,600cc or 130bhp). store for next year. was fined last year for sending unwanted SMS mes- Mr Nicholas Wong, general sages. By IRENE THAM – Mr Nicholas Wong, general manager of manager of authorised Honda However, the Direct Marketing Association of TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT authorised Honda agent Kah Motor agent Kah Motor, said yesterday’s Singapore (DMAS) believes that marketers would results were “within expecta- be encouraged to be more compliant if the checking tions”. “It’s good that there MARKETING firms and organisations are calling fees were lowered. wasn’t a collapse,” he said. “But for the cost of checking phone numbers against the “There should be as few barriers as possible to clearly, we see there is weakness Do Not Call (DNC) Registry to be lowered. compliance,” said its chairman, Ms Lisa Watson. in Category B (cars above 1,600cc The Personal Data Protection Commission (PD- The DMAS – which includes banks, telcos and re- Four down, one up or 130bhp).” He described the PC) – the privacy watchdog administering the regis- tailers among its members – has called for the fees Cars up to Cars above Commercial Motor- Open drop in COE prices as an “early try – charges firms between one cent and 2.5 cents to be capped at 10 per cent of the marketing cost. 1,600cc and 1,600cc or vehicles cycles ang pow” that will drive more peo- per number to check whether they are calling or tex- Going by the cost of sending an SMS, which is 130bhp 130bhp ple to showrooms. ting someone who has opted out of receiving mar- five cents, this would work out to a maximum of Yesterday’s tender $62,002 $70,890 $52,101 $5,504 $71,921 Looking ahead, he expects the keting messages. 0.5 cent per number checked. Jan 21 tender $65,001 $76,889 $55,012 $4,889 $76,790 market to “soften further on eco- Although the PDPC offers discounts to compa- Mr Domenico Pezzaniti, chief executive officer Source: LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY nomic fears” this year. nies that prepay, the fees are still believed to be one of local mobile marketing services firm Beepcast, ST GRAPHICS CHRISTOPHER TAN of the highest among countries offering such a ser- agreed. “Lowering the fees may discourage people from testing the limits of the law or not complying,” he said. “Firms turn to SMS as it has traditionally been the cheapest form of marketing. Adding one cent to 2.5 cents per number to comply with the DNC rules is a big jump in cost.” When the proposed rates were revealed in a June 2013 public consultation held by the authorities, the DMAS had branded the rates “prohibitive”. Telcos Singtel, StarHub and M1 and industry association Asia Internet Coalition – comprising members such as Facebook, Google and eBay – also called for them to be set at a lower rate.