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The Small Claims Tribunals are part of the Subordinate Courts of Singapore. The Tribunals were established on the 1st of February 1985, to provide a quick and inexpensive forum for the resolution of small claims between consumers and suppliers.
Jurisdiction of the Small Claims Tribunals
The Tribunals have jurisdiction to hear claims not exceeding $10,000, where the claims relate to disputes arising from:
1. a contract for the sale of goods; or 2. a contract for the provision of services; or
3. tortious damage to property (but not including damage arising in connection with motor vehicle accidents)
4. Any contract relating to a lease of residential premises not exceeding 2 years
Where the Claimant and the Respondant consent in writing, the jurisdiction can be raised to $20,000. (Memorandum of Consent)
All claims must be lodged or filed at the Small Claims Tribunals within one year from the date on which the cause of action accrued.
Note:
| 1. |
The Small Claims Tribunals Act (SCTA) only allows the Tribunals to hear a limited selection of cases. As such, the Tribunals must discontinue claims that it has no power to hear (i.e. claims that do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Tribunals). |
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| 2. |
The Tribunals may discontinue your claim at the following stages: |
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| (a) |
Consultation Stage (by a Registrar). The SCTA allows you to appeal against a Registrar's decision to discontinue your claim. The appeal will be heard before a Referee. |
| (b) |
Hearing Stage (by a Referee). The SCTA does not allow any appeals against a Referee's decision to discontinue your claim. |
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| 3. |
The Tribunals looks mainly at the following factors when deciding whether to discontinue a claim. |
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| (a) |
The nature of the dispute. Claims that do not fall within legal categories specified in the SCTA will be discontinued. |
| (b) |
The monetary value of your claim. If your claim involves the cancellation of a contract (i.e. to rescind or terminate a contract), then the contract value will be taken. If your claim does not depend on cancelling any contract, then the Tribunals will consider the actual amount claimed: see Mohammed Akhtar v Schneider [1997] 1 SLR 150. |
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| 4. |
Do not worry if your claim is discontinued. It does not mean that you have 'lost' your case. The decision to discontinue is never based on how strong or weak your claim is. In most cases, you can still sue your opponent in the civil courts. Please consult a lawyer for more advice on what claims can be brought before the civil courts. |
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Bringing A Claim in the Tribunals
The procedure for bringing a claim in the Tribunals is very simple.
Lawyers are not permitted to represent any of the parties in proceedings before the Tribunals. Unless the Tribunals decide that a claim is either vexatious or frivolous, costs are not awarded to the winning party.
To lodge or file a claim at the Tribunals, a party is required to pay a lodgment fee. The applicable lodgment fees are as follows:
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Not exceeding $5,000 |
Exceeding $5,000 but not exceeding $10,000 |
Exceeding $10,000 but not exceeding $20,000 |
| Consumer |
$10 |
$20 |
1% of claim amount |
| Non-consumer |
$50 |
$100 |
3% of claim amount |
Attending the Consultation / Mediation
After a claim is lodged or filed, the Tribunals will fix the claim for a Consultation / Mediation before the Registrar. The Tribunals will generally fix the Consultation / Mediation within 10 to 14 days from the date of lodging or filing of the claim. If a claim is not settled at the Consultation before the Registrar, it will generally be fixed for hearing within 7 days from the date of Consultation. For a tourist claim or an urgent claim, the Tribunals can fix both the Consultation / Mediation and the Hearing within 24 hours of the lodging or filing of the claim.
The Tribunals employ mediation extensively in their proceedings. At the Consultation before the Registrar, the Registrar will mediate the claim, to assist parties in resolving the dispute. If the claim is fixed for Hearing before the Referee, the Referee will also explore the possibility of settlement, before adjudicating the claim.
Our Operation Hours
Mondays to Thursdays: 8.30 am to 6.00 pm
Fridays : 8.30 am to 5.30 pm
Saturdays: 8.30 am to 1.00 pm
Filing or Lodging Times for your Claims and Counterclaims
Mondays to Fridays : 9.00 am to 5.00 pm
Saturdays: 9.00 am to 12.00 noon
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