Last updated 7 October 2026 — by Adrian Tan, SDM. Marketing guidance, not legal advice. Rule and section numbers refer to the Housing and Development (Renovation Control) Rules and the Building Control Act 1989 as currently shown on Singapore Statutes Online; check with HDB, BCA or a lawyer before relying on any point for a campaign.
Renovation is one of Singapore’s most heavily advertised home services, and one of its most complained about. Interior design firms and contractors compete hard on Google, Instagram, Facebook, home-renovation portals and roadshow booths, and the copy tends to escalate: “HDB-approved”, “licensed contractor”, “whole-house package from S$X”, “factory price”, “lifetime warranty”.
Several of those phrases are regulated, and two of them can be criminal offences if they are not true. Advertising that you can renovate HDB flats when you are not an HDB-registered renovation contractor is an offence under the Housing and Development (Renovation Control) Rules. Advertising yourself as a licensed builder without a BCA builder’s licence is an offence under the Building Control Act. Pricing, warranty and material claims are then judged against the consumer protection rules CCCS has spelled out specifically for the renovation industry.
This guide covers what each claim requires, what the penalties are, how CaseTrust fits in, and how to build a renovation campaign that stays on the right side of all three.
The rules at a glance
| Claim or activity | Rule | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Advertising or holding out as a registered renovation contractor, or as legally permitted to renovate HDB flats, without HDB registration | Renovation Control Rules r 6(1)(b) | Fine up to S$5,000 (r 6(2)) |
| Offering or undertaking to carry out renovation works in an HDB flat without registration | Renovation Control Rules r 6(1)(a) | Fine up to S$5,000 |
| Advertising or holding out as authorised to carry on business as a general or specialist builder, or using “licensed general builder” or a misleading equivalent, without a BCA licence | Building Control Act s 29B(1) | Fine up to S$20,000 and/or 12 months; daily fines (s 29B(3)) |
| Using the CaseTrust logo | CaseTrust accreditation terms | Only accredited businesses may display it; a false claim is a misleading practice |
| Prices, packages, discounts, warranties, materials | Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act; CCCS renovation guide | Unfair practice: CCCS and CASE action, civil claims |
HDB claims: the Renovation Control Rules
Who may renovate HDB flats
The Housing and Development (Renovation Control) Rules regulate renovation works in HDB flats, defined broadly as any structural or non-structural additions and alterations, other than repairs and works HDB excludes. Two rules work together:
- Rule 3 requires the flat owner to engage a registered renovation contractor and to obtain a renovation permit where HDB’s prior written approval is needed. An owner who breaches it can be fined up to S$5,000.
- Rule 6(1) says no person shall (a) carry out renovation works in an HDB flat, or offer or undertake to carry them out personally, or (b) “advertise or otherwise hold himself out as a registered renovation contractor or as a person legally permitted to personally carry out renovation works in an HDB flat”, unless they are a registered renovation contractor. The penalty under rule 6(2) is a fine of up to S$5,000.
HDB publishes registered contractors in its Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC). For advertising, the important words in rule 6 are “advertise” and “hold himself out”. An unregistered firm does not need to claim registration in so many words to breach the rule: an ad for “HDB 4-room renovation packages” or a portfolio of HDB flats offered as available work is a claim that the firm can lawfully renovate HDB flats.
What registration involves
The Rules make registration a real commitment, which is why the claim matters to homeowners:
- an application fee of S$100 (rule 7(1), as amended from 1 December 2025);
- a security deposit of up to S$10,000, by performance bond, banker’s guarantee or other approved security, maintained for the whole registration period (rule 7(3));
- registration for two years, or another period specified (rule 9);
- duties to obtain permits and follow HDB’s conditions and other authorities’ requirements (rule 10), with penalties including suspension, cancellation, disqualification and demerit points (rule 11);
- automatic suspension of up to 12 months for 24 or more demerit points within 24 months (rule 12), and disqualification of up to five years for unauthorised major structural works (Schedule).
“HDB-approved” is the wrong phrase
Rule 2(2) treats registration as a licence under the Housing and Development Act. It is permission to do the work, not an endorsement of the firm’s quality, prices or designs. “HDB-registered renovation contractor” is accurate for a registered firm. “HDB-approved”, “HDB-recommended” or “HDB’s preferred contractor” suggest an endorsement HDB does not give, and are likely to be misleading under consumer protection law. Use HDB’s own terminology and let homeowners check the directory.
The same care applies to permit claims. A firm cannot promise that HDB will approve a particular hacking or layout change, because permits are HDB’s decision and depend on the works. “We handle the HDB permit application for you” is a service description; “hack any wall you like” is a promise the contractor cannot keep.
“Licensed builder”: the Building Control Act
The second statutory trap is the word “licensed”. Section 29B(1) of the Building Control Act says a person must not:
- (a) advertise or hold themselves out, in any way or by any means, as a person authorised to carry on the business of a general builder or a specialist builder in Singapore; or
- (b) use the name or title “licensed general builder” or “licensed specialist builder”, or any name, title or description calculated to lead others to believe they are licensed,
unless they hold the relevant BCA licence. The penalty under section 29B(3) is a fine of up to S$20,000, imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both, plus further fines of up to S$500 a day for continued non-compliance and up to S$1,000 a day for a continuing offence after conviction. Section 29B(4) adds that a person who carries out building works without the required licence cannot recover payment for them in court.
Who actually needs a builder’s licence
BCA’s licensing page explains that a general builder’s licence is required for building works whose plans need the Commissioner of Building Control’s approval, and that only main contractors need to apply. A Class 1 licence has no project value limit; Class 2 is restricted to projects of S$6 million or less. Specialist licences cover six categories: piling, ground support and stabilisation, instrumentation and monitoring, structural steelwork, precast concrete and in-situ post-tensioning.
Most interior design and renovation firms that work on flats and condominium units therefore hold no BCA builder’s licence, and many do not need one. That is the point of the rule for advertising. A firm without a licence can describe itself accurately as an interior design or renovation firm. What it cannot do is call itself a “licensed contractor”, “BCA-licensed”, “licensed builder” or anything calculated to suggest a builder’s licence it does not hold. If your client does hold a BCA licence, name it precisely: “BCA Class 2 General Builder licence”, not just “licensed”.
Other titles to check
“Interior designer” and “renovation contractor” are not protected titles. “Architect” and “professional engineer” are, and some interior firms drift into “interior architect” or “design architect” in their copy. Those titles are governed by separate legislation; our guide to protected professional titles in advertising covers them.
CaseTrust: a claim worth earning, and not borrowing
CaseTrust is the Consumers Association of Singapore’s accreditation scheme. For renovation there are two versions: the CaseTrust Accreditation Scheme for Renovation Businesses, and a joint CaseTrust-RCMA scheme developed with the Singapore Renovation Contractors and Material Suppliers Association from August 2014. According to CASE, accredited renovation businesses must:
- cap initial deposits at a maximum of 20% of the total cost;
- buy a deposit performance bond to safeguard deposit payments against closure and similar risks;
- use the CaseTrust Standard Renovation Contract, which sets out work and payment schedules, warranty and pricing;
- give homeowners a workmanship warranty of 12 months from completion.
Accredited firms may display the CaseTrust logo on their shopfronts and marketing materials. Those commitments are exactly what renovation buyers worry about, which makes the logo a strong conversion asset. It also makes misuse obvious: a firm that shows the logo without accreditation, or keeps it after accreditation lapses, is making a false claim about its business, which is an unfair practice under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act.
The scheme is voluntary. In its 2025 complaint statistics, CASE reported that complaints against the renovation contractor industry fell 18.2%, from 962 in 2024 to 787 in 2025, and attributed the decline to its efforts to ramp up CaseTrust accreditation of renovation businesses.
Prices, packages, warranties and materials: the CCCS guide
On 5 May 2022, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) published a Guide on Fair Trading Practices for the Renovation Industry, noting that CASE had received 1,300 complaints against renovation contractors in 2021 and 419 in the first quarter of 2022. The guide applies the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act to five areas, and several of its “do not” points read directly as advertising rules.
| Area | What the CCCS guide says not to do | What it means for ads |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Use marketing tactics such as “flat fees”, “direct factory price” or “sales/promotion/discounts” that are not genuine or make a package look cheaper than it should; omit mandatory charges | A “whole-house package from S$X” must be a real package at that price, with what is excluded made clear |
| Description | Make false or misleading claims about goods or services, including country of origin, quality, grade, standard or performance | Material and brand claims in ads must match what is actually supplied |
| Warranty | Promise an unconditional warranty while keeping its terms vague; refuse to honour it; say repairs are free and then charge labour | State what a warranty covers and for how long; avoid “lifetime” unless it really is |
| Timeline | Take deposits knowing the works cannot be completed on time | “Done in 4 weeks” must be realistic for the work advertised |
| Consent | Supply and charge for work the consumer did not agree to; say an item is mandatory when it is not | Distinguish “included” from “optional add-on” in package ads |
The guide’s examples are worth knowing because they mirror common complaints: a $28,500 quote that became a $33,500 bill when $5,000 of mandatory electrical wiring was added after completion; tiles described as from one country that came from another; a contract promising a six-month warranty, followed by a refusal to repair a defect two months in; and extra power points installed without consent and then billed. Under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) (Opt-Out Practices) Regulations, the guide notes, unsolicited goods or services supplied without the consumer’s written agreement to pay may be treated as an unconditional gift.
For package-led advertising, the lesson is that the headline price and the final invoice must be reconcilable. If a “4-room HDB package” excludes electrical works, disposal, permits or carpentry above a certain length, say so where the price appears, not in a footnote on page three of the quotation.
Worked example: rewriting a renovation campaign
A young interior design firm, not yet on HDB’s directory and without a BCA licence, plans a Google and Meta campaign aimed at new BTO owners. Its first draft and a compliant version:
| First draft | Problem | Compliant version |
|---|---|---|
| “HDB-approved renovation specialists” | Not registered: holding out as permitted to renovate HDB flats (r 6(1)(b)); “approved” misleading even if registered | Until registered, advertise condo and landed work only; once registered, “HDB-registered renovation contractor” |
| “Licensed contractor, fully certified” | Suggests a BCA licence it does not hold (s 29B(1)(b)) | “Interior design and renovation firm”, plus the qualifications it actually has |
| CaseTrust logo in the footer “because we follow the same standards” | Not accredited: false claim | Remove; apply for accreditation if the firm wants the claim |
| “BTO 4-room package S$18,888 all-in” | “All-in” with exclusions buried in the quotation | “From S$18,888; excludes electrical works and permits; see inclusions” |
| “Direct factory price, 50% off this weekend only” | CCCS lists non-genuine “factory price” and discount claims | Only run a promotion with a real reference price and real end date |
| “Lifetime warranty on all works” | Vague, unconditional warranty claim | “12-month workmanship warranty; terms in contract” |
| “Hack any wall you want” | Promises an HDB permit outcome | “We prepare and submit HDB renovation permit applications” |
The compliant campaign loses nothing important. In this category, searchers are comparing trust signals before they compare designs, and accurate claims about registration, deposits and warranties do more for lead quality than superlatives.
Channel notes
- Portfolio pages and Instagram. Showing completed HDB projects is a claim that you do HDB work. Keep it accurate to your registration status, and get homeowners’ permission before posting their homes, especially where the unit could be identified.
- Google Business Profile and directories. Category and description must match what the firm is licensed and registered to do. Do not choose “general contractor” style categories if they imply a builder’s licence you do not hold.
- Roadshows and booths. Package flyers at roadshows and exhibitions are advertising too; the same exclusion and pricing rules apply, and the prepayment risks are higher.
- Deposits and prepayment. Homeowners are wary of large upfront payments. If the firm is CaseTrust-accredited, the 20% deposit cap and the deposit performance bond are claims worth making, accurately.
How the rules are enforced
We did not find a published prosecution of a renovation firm for advertising under rule 6 or section 29B, so we cannot say how often either is used against advertisers. HDB’s rules give it administrative tools against registered contractors (demerit points, suspension, cancellation and disqualification) and criminal fines against unregistered ones. On the consumer protection side, MTI told Parliament on 8 May 2024 that CASE had not, thus far, referred any renovation firm to CCCS for investigation, so the realistic pressure comes from CASE complaints, Small Claims Tribunal disputes and the reputational cost of reviews. That is not a reason to take the statutory claims lightly: a rule 6 or section 29B breach is straightforward to prove from the ad itself.
Conclusion
Renovation advertising in Singapore has two hard lines and one set of fairness rules. Do not advertise HDB renovation work unless the firm is an HDB-registered renovation contractor, and call it that rather than “HDB-approved”. Do not call the firm licensed, or anything that suggests a builder’s licence, unless it holds a BCA licence, and then name the licence. Everything else, from package prices to warranties and materials, is judged against the CCCS renovation guide: genuine prices, disclosed exclusions, clear warranty terms and accurate descriptions. CaseTrust accreditation is the one trust claim a firm can choose to earn, and it is worth earning rather than implying.
If you run a renovation or interior design firm and want campaigns built on claims that hold up, that is the kind of work our performance marketing team in Singapore does; see our client case studies for results. Related guides cover the Trade Descriptions Act for marketers, prepaid package marketing rules, outdoor advertising and signage rules, website legal requirements in Singapore and local SEO in Singapore. For the bigger picture, start with our complete guide to performance marketing in Singapore.
Renovation packages often bundle electrical and plumbing works. Those trades carry their own advertising offences: under the Electricity Act, the Gas Act and the Public Utilities Act, advertising regulated work without the right licence is itself an offence. Our guide to electrician, plumber and gas worker advertising rules explains what each licence lets you claim.
Frequently asked questions
Can an interior design firm advertise HDB renovation without being on HDB’s directory?
No. Rule 6 of the Housing and Development (Renovation Control) Rules makes it an offence to advertise or hold yourself out as a registered renovation contractor, or as legally permitted to renovate HDB flats, unless you are registered with HDB. The fine is up to S$5,000.
Can a renovation company call itself “HDB-approved”?
It should not. HDB registration is a licence to carry out renovation works, not an endorsement of the firm. A registered firm can accurately say it is an HDB-registered renovation contractor; “approved” or “recommended” suggests an endorsement that does not exist.
Do renovation contractors need a BCA licence?
Only for building works whose plans need the Commissioner of Building Control’s approval, according to BCA, so many interior firms do not hold one. But claiming to be a licensed builder without the licence is an offence under section 29B of the Building Control Act, with a fine of up to S$20,000, up to 12 months’ jail, or both.
Is CaseTrust accreditation compulsory for renovation firms?
No, it is voluntary. Accredited firms commit to a 20% deposit cap, a deposit performance bond, the CaseTrust standard contract and a 12-month workmanship warranty, and may display the CaseTrust logo in their marketing. Only accredited firms may use the logo.
Are “factory price” and package promotions allowed?
Only if they are genuine. CCCS’s renovation guide warns against flat fees, “direct factory price” and sales or discounts that are not genuine or make a package look cheaper than it is. Show what a package excludes where the price appears.
What warranty can a renovation firm advertise?
Any warranty it actually gives, stated clearly. The CCCS guide lists vague “unconditional” warranty promises, and refusals to honour warranty terms, as potential unfair practices. State the coverage, duration and conditions, and avoid “lifetime” unless that is the contract term.
