Couple to explain $89k renovation debt

A COUPLE will appear in court today to explain why they allegedly failed to pay $89,000 owed to their neighbour after they asked him to rebuild their home in the style of an English country house.

Air Force Lieutenant-Colonel Ng Boo Han and his wife, Madam Audrey-Ann Koo Oi Lian, are being sued by retiree Edward Teo Boon Hiang, 61, who claims the sum is outstanding.

In turn, the couple have lodged a counter-claim for $200,000 - saying Mr Teo failed to complete the project and left it in dire need of rectification work.

Two other witnesses, a surveyor and a timber specialist, are expected to take the stand at the Subordinate Courts as the defendants' witnesses tomorrow and on Friday.

When the trial started in April, the court heard that the couple had allegedly praised Mr Teo for his work on his double-storey corner terraced house in Jalan Machang and asked him to rebuild theirs in a similar style.

Lt-Col Ng and his wife own a single-storey corner terraced house a street away, on Jalan Kerayong.

Mr Teo had estimated the cost to be $350,000 and had agreed to take on the project as his neighbours had agreed to give him "free hand" in it.

Mr Teo had also thought that he could make a small profit from the project, which started in January 2011 and was due to be completed in August that year. But he told the court that he could not meet the deadline because the couple had allegedly made his job "impossible" by demanding work that had not been agreed upon.

His lawyer, Mr Chia Boon Teck of Chia Wong LLP, told the court that many of the couple's demands were "unreasonable", as the contract signed between Mr Teo and the couple did not state details of the materials to be used.

Lt-Col Ng and his wife allegedly wanted different materials from those used in Mr Teo's home, said Mr Chia. The court also heard that the couple had accused Mr Teo of using inferior quality timber, even though it was the same type he had used for his house. Mr Teo told the court that despite paying him to build a "simple rustic house", his neighbours allegedly demanded a contemporary, top-notch property and decided to "pass on the cost to him".

The couple apparently paid Mr Teo $320,000, but the outstanding amount that Mr Teo claims the couple still owe him includes cost of the extra work which they allegedly asked him to carry out.

They are represented by Mr Gwee Boon Kim and Mr Freddie Neo of Hoh Law Corporation.

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BuiKia said:

What a joke, LTC and got no money?

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no_faith said:

doesnt mean LTC must be rich wor.
furthermore, no rules saying the rich must be generous.

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laksaboy said:

LOL. What good will it do to have an English-style country house in tropical Singapore?

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BuiKia said:

What a joke, LTC and got no money?

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watchman8 said:

this case is got money, but don't want to pay.

First, LTC is stupid. Sign contract neber detail on the material use. What kind of air force LTC is this? Next time buy missiles can leave out details like the missile capabilities boh?

What's more the contractor say material is same as those used in his own house, which was the original intent of the LTC. So sound more like the LTC is cheapskate, ai chi, ai pi, ai dua liap nee.

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halsey02 said:

This is typical of these type...they go Buffet, must 'ta pau' the food back too...I am sure the old man is in the right, this LTC...is like you say, "ai pi, ai chi, ai tua niap ni'...

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cowbellc said:

ya rite..all this buggers is one kind...they pay peanuts but expect coconuts in return.

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Leongsam said:

Yet another case of a Chinaman trying to be an Ang Moh.

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ChewCheng said:

You mean this?

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watchman8 said:

If want to pay peanuts and expect coconuts, then better make sure contract specify is coconut. Already LTC, still don't know the importance of contract

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Narong Wongwan said:

Spend his whole life in military...what skills set you think he possess?

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Narong Wongwan said:

Spend his whole life in military...what skills set you think he possess?

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