Police probe interior design firm Axion Design after complaints over stalled renovations, missing furniture

Some affected customers are owed tens of thousands of dollars, while others say they had to live in homes with unfinished renovation works.

Customers complained of unsatisfactory renovation work by Axion Design, such as materials of poor quality, poor workmanship and carpentry that was measured wrongly. (Photo: Lim Kin Seng)

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SINGAPORE: Police and government agencies are investigating interior design firm Axion Design over complaints of unfinished renovation work and delivered furniture, as well as unpaid salaries and Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions.

Some affected customers are owed tens of thousands of dollars, while others said they had to live in homes with unfinished renovation works after messages to the firm went unanswered earlier this year.

Police confirmed that reports were lodged and that investigations are ongoing.

The Ministry of Manpower, CPF Board and Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management said former employees have also lodged complaints over non-payment of salaries and that the firm had defaulted on CPF contributions.

Five employees have since agreed on payment schedules with the company.

The CPF Board has initiated prosecution against the firm and the ministry is also investigating the company for possible breaches of the Employment Act.

Mr John Tan, who had introduced himself to clients as the company's co-founder, told CNA that the company had gone bankrupt and that he lacked the funds and manpower to complete outstanding works or refund customers.

He also claimed he owes his staff about S$10,000 (US$7,800) in salary, and said he and co-founder Alvin Ong are working with MOM to pay back salaries in instalments, which will remain a priority over paying back customers.

One customer representing the group of affected home owners said about 20 households have been affected, a figure corroborated by Mr Tan.

Checks showed 17 cases went before the Small Claims Tribunals this year in which Axion Design was named as the respondent, with 14 resulting in orders by the tribunal for the firm to make monetary payment.

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UNCOMPLETED WORKS, MISSING FURNITURE

Mr Lim Seng Kin, a 54-year-old business development manager, paid the firm about S$29,000 since May 2025, but design drawings were repeatedly delayed and further issues emerged once renovation began a month later.

These included kitchen cabinets that did not match the agreed designs, misaligned furniture, badly installed electrical sockets and carpentry "several inches short" due to incorrect measurements.

He repeatedly asked for rectification works in September last year, but the firm did not respond promptly, he said in his statement to the tribunal.

Screenshots of messages from Mr Lim Seng Kin to the firm, with photos of a living room set-up different from the original design drawings. (Images: Lim Seng Kin)

He said the firm stopped responding altogether in November, despite further attempts to contact them until January this year.

He made a police report and filed a Small Claims Tribunals claim seeking S$12,285 for missing and incomplete services, among other claims. Mr Lim said the tribunal awarded him the full amount in June, but he has yet to recover the money.

“Next action I need is to engage a lawyer to enforce the court order which will cost me,” said Mr Lim. “I consider my money already lost, but if possible, let's stop them from doing it again and again.”

Renovation delivery issues have cropped up before . The Ministry of Home Affairs said in 2022 it would study amending the law to make it easier to establish fraud by errant contractors, but announced in 2024 that no amendments were needed since renovation fraud can be prosecuted as cheating.

One home owner, who asked to remain anonymous, said he paid Axion Design S$76,000.

The project began in October last year and was due for completion in December, but was continually delayed until the firm stopped replying in June this year. The work was also below standard, he said, the electricity often tripped, his family had to sleep on mattresses without bed frames and carpentry around the house was poorly done.

He estimated he lost about S$30,000 in unfinished work, and spent S$20,000 more redoing it with another firm in early August.

The renovation red flags that could stop you from losing thousands to a contractor.

Others told CNA they had bought Axion Design's furniture, only for it to go undelivered.

MRT station manager Muhammad Amsyar Sahri, 29, paid Axion Design S$10,000 in deposits for furniture, wardrobes and interior design services between October and November last year. He said he was told the deposits were refundable if he decided not to proceed, but after engaging another contractor, he could not recover his S$2,000 interior design deposit.

Months later, he learnt his Axion salesman had left the firm and his furniture remained undelivered. In May, he and his wife arranged to visit Axion's showroom but found nobody there despite giving advance notice, and the firm's other co-founder, Mr Ong, later stopped responding after initially promising to discuss a refund.

“We kept calling and texting, but he just left voice notes saying that they cannot do anything, the company was closing down, and there was no point chasing him,” he said.

The couple made a police report in June.

Another customer, who only wanted to be known as Nelson, said he first got in touch with Axion Design at a furniture fair at Singapore Expo in December, where the firm "had the biggest booths which made them seem legitimate".

The 47-year-old paid S$8,000, but the furniture was never delivered. His attempts to contact Mr Ong from end-May onwards were unsuccessful, and he made a police report as well.

Other customers made deposits to secure renovation contracts, only for the firm to cease communication before the works even began.

One customer, known only as Joanna, paid S$8,000 in deposits in August last year before the firm "went MIA (missing in action)" in May, just before renovation was due to begin. The 57-year-old filed a tribunal claim and made a police report.

Another customer said she and her husband paid a S$3,000 deposit for renovation services in January this year, before deciding not to proceed due to a "lack of confidence" in the firm's professionalism.

Asking for the deposit back proved futile, with the firm delaying payment before ceasing communications altogether. She reported the firm to the police and complained to the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE), which CNA has also contacted for comment.

Screenshots of messages from a customer asking Axion Design for a S$3,000 refund. She said the refund was never made.

What customers can do

Mr Mervin Foo, co-founder of renovation-matching platform HomeMatch, said the renovation industry has a "relatively low barrier to entry".

"You don't need a qualification to be an interior designer, and inexperienced players can also start a renovation firm," he said.

Warning signs include firms repeatedly asking for additional payments despite little progress, subcontractors stopping work, materials not being delivered, or timelines being pushed back without explanation — which could point to cash flow problems, Mr Foo said.

Home owners should agree on clear payment schedules before signing a contract, he added. "As a general rule of thumb, home owners should avoid paying more than 20 per cent as an initial deposit to secure the contract, and retain a final 5 to 10 per cent until the renovation has been satisfactorily completed and handed over."

Payments should be tied to progress, and home owners should avoid the "sunk cost" trap. "If there are serious warning signs, don't let what you've already paid determine whether you should put in more money," he said.

Proving a criminal offence can be difficult, however. Mr Alex Woon, a lecturer at the Singapore University of Social Sciences' School of Law and a consultant at LVM Law Chambers, said a potentially relevant offence is cheating, which requires proof beyond reasonable doubt of dishonest intent at the time the customer was induced to transact.

"If the accused genuinely believed that they could carry out the renovation job, but for cash flow or other business reasons was eventually unable to complete the job, that is not cheating," he said.

Home owners who suspect wrongdoing should preserve contracts, invoices and correspondence, and seek legal advice. Civil claims, including through the Small Claims Tribunals, are an option, but recovery is not guaranteed even with a court order.

"In many cases, the defendant has spent the money on other projects or simply frittered it away," Mr Woon said.

He suggested the industry study safeguards – such as holding client funds separately, as law firms do – to reduce risk to consumers.

"NOT A SCAM," SAYS FOUNDER

Speaking to CNA over the phone, Axion Design's Mr Tan said he had effectively shut down the company since April this year "due to cash flow issues".

“This is not a scam … because if it is a scam, I think I won’t be here talking to you,” he said. “Our bank statement is very transparent. The police have the right to check my statements, where the money goes, so all my money goes to the CPF, salaries, suppliers and vendors.

“It is because of the cash flow, that we cannot sustain the business,” he added.

Asked what happened to the money owed to his clients, Mr Tan said he has about 20 affected customers he has no way to pay back.

"We are under bankruptcy, so I really have no money to pay them," he said, adding that he has spent all his savings on the company and owes his landlord money.

Checks on Axion Design's Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) profile show the firm was incorporated in March 2025, and neither Mr Tan nor fellow co-founder Mr Ong is listed as a director or company secretary. An Ang Yock Ee is listed as director and Seah Hong Wee as company secretary.

CNA visited Mr Ang’s listed address twice but there was no response at the door.

Checks with the Ministry of Law's Insolvency Office showed Mr Tan and Mr Ong are undischarged bankrupts. Mr Tan was made bankrupt on Oct 9, 2025 after an application by DBS Bank, with his insolvency record citing "business failure"; Mr Ong was made bankrupt on Nov 25, 2021 after an application by Kawah Furnishing, with the cause recorded as "others". Both remain undischarged as at June 2026.

A bankrupt cannot manage a business or act as a director without permission from the court or the official overseeing their bankruptcy.

ACRA still lists the company as "live". Mr Tan claimed this was because the firm still owes CPF payments amounting to S$51,000, and did not mention prosecution actions already initiated by the CPF Board.

Asked if he had anything to say to his unhappy customers, Mr Tan said: “I’m very sorry to them, to be very honest, very sorry that we owe them … But I don’t think they will accept lah.”

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一些受影响的客户被拖欠数万美元，而另一些客户则表示，他们不得不住在装修工程尚未完成的房子里。

客户投诉Axion Design的装修工程质量不尽如人意，例如材料质量差、做工粗糙以及木工尺寸测量错误等。（图片：林建生）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新加坡：警方和政府机构正在调查室内设计公司 Axion Design，原因是该公司被投诉未完成装修工程、未交付家具，以及未支付工资和中央公积金 (CPF) 缴款。

一些受影响的客户被拖欠数万美元，而另一些客户则表示，由于今年早些时候他们向该公司发送的信息没有得到回复，他们不得不住在装修工程尚未完成的房子里。

警方证实已接到报案，调查正在进行中。

人力部、中央公积金局和三方争议管理联盟表示，前雇员还投诉公司拖欠工资和拖欠中央公积金缴款。

目前已有五名员工与公司就付款计划达成一致。

中央公积金局已对该公司提起诉讼，相关部门也在调查该公司是否违反了雇佣法令。

自称是公司联合创始人的陈约翰先生告诉亚洲新闻台，公司已经破产，他缺乏资金和人手来完成未完成的工作或退款给客户。

他还声称自己拖欠员工约 10,000 新元（7,800 美元）的工资，并表示他和联合创始人 Alvin Ong 正在与人力部合作，分期偿还员工工资，偿还工资的优先级高于偿还客户款项。

一位代表受影响业主群体的客户表示，约有 20 户家庭受到影响，这一数字得到了 Tan 先生的证实。

调查显示，今年有 17 起案件提交至小额索赔法庭，Axion Design 被列为被告，其中 14 起案件法庭裁定该公司需支付赔偿金。

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未完成的工程，缺失的家具

54岁的业务发展经理林成金先生自2025年5月起向该公司支付了约29000新元，但设计图纸一再延误，一个月后装修开始后又出现了更多问题。

这些问题包括：厨房橱柜与约定的设计不符、家具摆放错位、电源插座安装不当以及由于测量错误导致木工“短了几英寸”。

他在向法庭提交的声明中表示，他去年9月多次要求进行整改工作，但该公司没有及时回应。

林成健先生发给公司的邮件截图，以及与原设计图纸不同的客厅布置照片。（图片：林成健）

他说，尽管他一直尝试联系该公司，直到今年1月，但该公司从11月起就完全停止了回应。

他向警方报案，并向小额索偿法庭提起诉讼，索赔12,285新元，理由包括服务缺失和未完成等。林先生表示，法庭在6月份裁定他获得全额赔偿，但他至今仍未收到这笔钱。

林先生说：“我下一步需要做的就是聘请律师来执行法院的命令，这会花费我不少钱。我觉得我的钱已经没了，但如果可能的话，我们还是想办法阻止他们再次作案。”

装修工程交付问题此前也曾出现过。内政部在2022年表示，将研究修改法律，以便更容易地认定不法承包商的欺诈行为，但在2024年宣布无需修改法律，因为装修欺诈行为本身就可以作为诈骗罪起诉。

一位要求匿名的房主表示，他向 Axion Design 支付了 76,000 新元。

该项目于去年十月开工，原定于十二月完工，但却一再延期，直到今年六月该公司停止回复。他还表示，工程质量也低于标准，经常跳闸，他的家人只能睡在没有床架的床垫上，而且房屋周围的木工活也做得非常糟糕。

他估计自己因未完成的工作损失了约 3 万新元，并在 8 月初花费了 2 万新元请另一家公司重做这项工作。

装修中需要注意的危险信号，可以避免你被承包商骗走数千美元。

另一些人告诉 CNA，他们购买了 Axion Design 的家具，但却没有收到货。

29岁的地铁站经理穆罕默德·阿姆沙尔·萨赫里（Muhammad Amsyar Sahri）去年10月至11月期间向Axion Design公司支付了1万新元的家具、衣柜和室内设计服务定金。他说，对方告诉他，如果他决定不继续合作，定金可以退还。但是，在他另找其他承包商后，却无法追回2000新元的室内设计定金。

几个月后，他得知之前负责销售Axion家具的销售员已经离职，而他订购的家具仍然没有送到。五月份，他和妻子提前预约，安排去Axion的展厅参观，却发现空无一人。该公司另一位联合创始人翁先生最初承诺会商讨退款事宜，但之后便杳无音信。

“我们不停地打电话、发短信，但他只是留下语音留言说他们无能为力，公司要倒闭了，追着他也没用了，”他说。

这对夫妇于六月份向警方报案。

另一位只愿透露自己名叫 Nelson 的顾客表示，他第一次与 Axion Design 取得联系是在 12 月新加坡博览中心举办的家具展上，当时这家公司“拥有最大的展位，这让他们看起来很正规”。

这位47岁的男子支付了8000新元，但家具却始终没有送到。从5月底开始，他多次尝试联系翁先生，但都无果，他还向警方报案。

其他客户支付了定金以确保装修合同，但该公司在工程开始前就停止了联系。

一位名叫乔安娜（Joanna）的顾客去年8月支付了8000新元的定金，但该公司在5月——也就是装修即将开始前——突然“失联”。这位57岁的顾客已向仲裁庭提起诉讼并报警。

另一位顾客表示，她和丈夫今年1月支付了3000新元的装修服务定金，但由于对该公司的专业性“缺乏信心”，最终决定放弃装修。

要求退还定金未果，该公司先是拖延付款，之后便彻底断绝了联系。她向警方报案，并向新加坡消费者协会（CASE）投诉，CNA也已联系该协会寻求置评。

以下是客户向 Axion Design 索要 3000 新元退款的邮件截图。她说退款从未到账。

客户可以做什么

装修匹配平台 HomeMatch 的联合创始人 Mervin Foo 先生表示，装修行业的“准入门槛相对较低”。

“你不需要任何资格证书就可以成为室内设计师，没有经验的人也可以开办装修公司，”他说。

Foo 先生表示，警示信号包括：公司在进展甚微的情况下反复要求额外付款、分包商停止工作、材料未交付或工期无故推迟——这些都可能表明现金流出现问题。

他补充说，业主在签订合同前应就明确的付款计划达成一致。“一般来说，业主为确保签订合同而支付的首付款不应超过总价的20%，剩余的5%至10%应保留至装修工程圆满完成并交付后再支付。”

付款应该与工程进度挂钩，房主应该避免陷入“沉没成本”陷阱。他表示：“如果出现严重的预警信号，不要让已经支付的金额决定你是否应该继续投入更多资金。”

然而，要证明一项刑事犯罪并非易事。新加坡社会科学大学法学院讲师、LVM律师事务所顾问Alex Woon先生表示，欺诈罪可能与此案相关，因为欺诈罪需要提供确凿证据，证明被告在诱使顾客进行交易时存在不诚实的意图，且该证据必须达到排除合理怀疑的程度。

他说：“如果被告真心相信自己能够完成装修工作，但由于资金周转或其他商业原因最终未能完成工作，那不属于欺诈。”

怀疑有人存在不当行为的房主应保留合同、发票和往来信函，并寻求法律建议。提起民事诉讼，包括通过小额索偿法庭，也是一种选择，但即使有法院判决，也不能保证一定能追回损失。

伍恩先生说：“在很多情况下，被告人把钱花在了其他项目上，或者干脆挥霍掉了。”

他建议业界研究一些保障措施，例如像律师事务所那样将客户资金单独存放，以降低消费者的风险。

创始人称“这不是骗局”

Axion Design 的 Tan 先生在电话中告诉 CNA，由于现金流问题，他实际上从今年 4 月起就关闭了公司。

“这不是骗局……因为如果是骗局，我想我就不会在这里和你说话了，”他说。“我们的银行账单非常透明。警方有权查看我的账单，了解钱的去向，我的所有钱都用于缴纳公积金、支付工资、供应商和销售商。”

“正是由于现金流问题，我们才无法维持这项业务，”他补充道。

当被问及欠客户的钱款去向时，谭先生表示，他有大约 20 位受影响的客户，他无力偿还。

“我们已经破产了，所以我真的没有钱付给他们，”他说，并补充说他已经把所有的积蓄都花在了公司上，而且还欠房东的钱。

经查阅Axion Design在新加坡会计与企业管制局（ACRA）的档案，该公司成立于2025年3月，陈先生和另一位联合创始人翁先生均未被列为董事或公司秘书。安安玉仪（An Ang Yock Ee）被列为董事，谢鸿伟（Seah Hong Wee）被列为公司秘书。

CNA记者两次前往Ang先生登记的地址，但无人应门。

经律政部破产办公室核实，陈先生和翁先生均为未解除破产状态的破产人士。陈先生于2025年10月9日应星展银行的申请被宣告破产，破产原因为“经营失败”；翁先生于2021年11月25日应卡瓦家具公司的申请被宣告破产，破产原因记录为“其他”。截至2026年6月，两人仍未解除破产状态。

破产者未经法院或负责其破产事务的官员许可，不得管理企业或担任董事。

ACRA仍将该公司列为“正常运营”。陈先生声称这是因为该公司仍拖欠公积金51000新元，但他并未提及公积金局已对其提起的诉讼。

当被问及是否有什么话要对不满的顾客说时，陈先生说：“说实话，我非常抱歉，非常抱歉我们欠了他们……但我认为他们不会接受的啦。”

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