• Some customers who paid for mattresses and beds in full said they were never delivered
• One customer said she received her order late and was delivered a different bed frame
• The Consumer Association of Singapore said it has received 13 complaints against the retailer
• The police said they have received reports on the company and are looking into the matter

SINGAPORE — After she paid S$2,300 in June for a bed and mattress set from retailer The Mattress Specialist for her new home, Ms Mabelle Tan was told that she would be getting a temporary bed frame because her bed was not ready.

But nothing was sent to her on the date of the scheduled delivery on July 28 and the salesperson she had been in contact with could not be reached, she said. She then decided to file a police report.

Ms Tan is among at least 10 aggrieved customers of The Mattress Specialist who have come together hoping to seek redress for what they said are unfulfilled or partially completed orders.

“Till today, (I have heard) no news from their company whether they are going to deliver my bed or refund me,” the 28-year-old human resource manager told TODAY.

Members of the group said at least six of them have filed police reports against the company.

Others have decided to take the matter to the courts.

A customer said he has filed a claim with the Small Claims Tribunal after paying close to S$3,000 for a bed in January that never got delivered. 

After making several calls to the company, he claimed he managed to get slightly more than half of what he paid for refunded.

“I shouldn’t have paid in full, I think that was a mistake,” said the man, who declined to be named because he is still waiting for the company to refund him the remainder.

In response to questions from TODAY, the police said on Wednesday (Aug 11): “The police confirm that reports were lodged and (we) are looking into the matter.”

Mr Melvin Yong, president of the Consumer Association of Singapore (Case), said that since June 1, the consumer watchdog has received 13 complaints against The Mattress Specialist and a company that appears to be linked to it called The Furnishing Specialist.

“In general, consumers complained that The Mattress Specialist failed to deliver their mattress or bed frame on the scheduled delivery date, and repeatedly postponed the delivery date,” said Mr Yong, adding that the customers are asking either for their goods to be delivered or for refunds.

According to The Mattress Specialist’s Facebook page, the company’s “retail outlets are closed temporarily for stock taking and auditing purposes”.

When TODAY visited its listed address at Ubi Road 1 on Wednesday, it was closed and its signboard had been taken down.

‘I FEEL HELPLESS’

Another customer, Ms Jasmine Ng, said she ordered a S$3,350 bed and mattress set in December last year from the company and paid for it in full in February.

The delivery was scheduled for Feb 28, when she was to move into her new home.

When the day came, she said the company sent her a bed frame that appeared to be used.

“They said they were lending me the bed frame until the one I ordered is ready. But it looked used and I was concerned that the bed frame had bed bugs,” said the 48-year-old human resources partner.

She rejected the delivery and the company later sent her a new bed frame, but it was of a different make from what she had ordered.

She is using the mattress and the new bed frame that the company sent, but is hoping to get the bed frame exchanged.

On July 31, Ms Ng decided to file a police report and later lodged a complaint with Case.

She said that as The Mattress Specialist was not responding to Case, she had filed a claim with the courts.

Her meeting with the Small Claims Tribunal has been set for next Friday.

“I feel helpless,” she said. “Even for small claims, I don’t know what the status will end up being.”

CALLS UNANSWERED

When contacted on Wednesday, Ms Wong Jee Kim — who is listed as the company’s director in a filing to the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) — declined to comment.

Ms Wong said she has made a police report, but refused to elaborate on what the report was regarding.

The most recent post on The Mattress Specialist’s Facebook page on Aug 4 contained a message signed off by one Ronnie Low.

He apologised to customers and added that he “will be attending to all issues (with) regard to the delivery”.

An earlier post on the page describes him as its “star specialist”.

Customers TODAY spoke to said they have been unable to contact him. TODAY’s repeated attempts to reach him via three contact numbers linked to him have also gone unanswered.

An earlier post on the company’s Facebook page on Aug 1 also apologised to customers and added: “We also understand the frustrations that you are going through right now and rest assured, we are in the midst of putting things right too.”

The Acra filing states that the company was incorporated on Aug 7 last year and lists it as a live company as of Wednesday.

CASE TO CLOSELY MONITOR INDUSTRY

Mr Yong, the president of Case, said the consumer watchdog will closely monitor the furniture industry, where deposits are typically paid upfront for big-ticket items.

He added that Case will alert consumers to companies that do not fulfil their contractual obligations to customers.

Mr Yong advised that wherever possible, customers should ask to pay a small deposit and to make the remaining payment only after receiving all items in good condition.

“Consumers are advised to consider purchasing from companies which are CaseTrust accredited, as these companies are committed to good business practices,” he said.

He also urged customers to keep all verbal agreements with companies in writing so that they can rely on these documents in the event of disputes.

Case can assist in negotiating or mediating disputes with businesses, but if the company is unwilling to respond, consumers may consider lodging a claim at the Small Claims Tribunal if the claim amount is under S$20,000, Mr Yong said.

“We encourage consumers to alert Case to unethical practices and conduct in the marketplace so that we can advocate for greater protection for consumers.”