Lemon Law in Singapore: an action plan for a faulty purchase

The washing machine bought in the November sales starts leaking in March. Under Singapore’s Lemon Law, a defect that appears within six months of delivery is presumed to have existed at delivery, unless the seller proves otherwise. Ask the seller to repair or replace the item first; if that fails, you can seek a price reduction or a refund. CASE gives free advice, and the Small Claims Tribunals hear claims of up to S$20,000.

The Lemon Law is part of the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act. The Ministry of Trade and Industry’s Lemon Law advisory explains the timing: after six months you can still seek a remedy, but you must show the defect was there at delivery. For an illustrative purchase delivered on 14 November 2026, the six-month presumption would end around 14 May 2027.

What does the Lemon Law cover?

CASE’s Lemon Law guide and CASE’s explainer on Lemon Law recourse set out the scope:

• It covers general consumer goods bought in Singapore, such as electronics, furniture and cars.
• It does not apply to houses, land, or rented and leased goods.
• It does not help when you have simply changed your mind; that depends on the seller’s return terms, as our home-trial guide explains.

MTI’s advisory adds that the six-month presumption does not apply where it would be incompatible with the nature of the goods. A manufacturer’s warranty is a separate promise with its own terms; the Lemon Law remedies are requested from the seller.

In what order do the remedies come?

Start with repair or replacement. CASE says the seller should provide either within a reasonable time, without significant inconvenience to you. If the seller cannot, you can ask for a reduction in price or return the item for a refund. MTI’s advisory notes that a refund may be reduced to reflect the use you have had of the goods, although an item that never worked should be refunded in full.

A seven-step action plan

1. Record the fault the day you notice it: photographs or a short video, the date and what happened.
2. Find the delivery date on your receipt or delivery note, and count six months from it. Our checkout records guide lists what to keep.
3. Write to the seller through its documented support channel. Describe the defect, say you are requesting repair or replacement under the Lemon Law, and ask for a reply by a specific date.
4. Keep every reply, job sheet and technician’s report, including the dates of visits.
5. If the repair fails, drags on or causes significant inconvenience, ask in writing for a price reduction or a refund.
6. If you reach a deadlock, contact CASE for advice and, if needed, mediation.
7. If mediation does not resolve it, consider the Small Claims Tribunals.

Keep your messages factual. “The machine has leaked from the door seal on every wash since 3 March; I am requesting a repair or replacement” is more useful than a description of your frustration.

How do CASE and the Small Claims Tribunals help?

CASE’s complaints service gives free advice by hotline, email or in person, and assists individuals who bought goods or services for personal or household use from companies registered in Singapore. If you want CASE to follow up with the business, you need to become a member and pay a nominal fee. CASE’s mediation service charges an administrative fee to both parties; for CaseTrust-accredited businesses, the mediation charges are borne by CaseTrust.

According to the Singapore Courts’ small-claims eligibility page, the Small Claims Tribunals hear claims arising from contracts for the sale of goods or the provision of services worth up to S$20,000, or up to S$30,000 if both parties sign a memorandum of consent. Claims must be filed within two years of the date the cause of action arose. The online pre-filing assessment on the Community Justice and Tribunals System checks whether your claim can be heard.

Bought online or from overseas?

Check who the seller is before assuming who will help. A marketplace listing may be run by a Singapore company or by an overseas business with no local presence, and CASE’s assistance centres on companies registered here. For disputes with Malaysian businesses, CASE and Malaysia’s National Consumer Complaints Centre set up a cross-border complaints referral channel in October 2025. A marketplace’s own dispute process is another route to check.

Common questions