Short answer: CaseTrust is the accreditation scheme run by the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). Accredited renovation businesses must protect your deposit with a deposit performance bond, use the CaseTrust Standard Renovation Contract, cap initial deposits at 20% of the total cost, give a 12-month workmanship warranty and attend mediation at CASE if you ask for it. Check the firm on the CaseTrust list and, for an HDB flat, on HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors. They are two different checks.

What CaseTrust is

CaseTrust is the accreditation arm of CASE. Businesses are audited on their store policies, advertising, dispute resolution procedures and staff training. Those that pass can display the CaseTrust mark on their shopfront, website and marketing materials.

For renovation, there are two schemes with similar protections:

  • CaseTrust Accreditation Scheme for Renovation Businesses, developed independently by CASE.
  • CaseTrust-RCMA Joint Accreditation Scheme for Renovation Businesses, developed in August 2014 with the Singapore Renovation Contractors and Material Suppliers Association (RCMA). Applicants must first be RCMA members.

CASE has also introduced a Gold tier for firms handling higher-value residential projects. According to CASE, Gold firms use the CaseTrust Standard Residential Renovation Contract (Gold), provide 50% prepayment protection on the project sum through an approved instrument such as an insurance bond or banker's guarantee, and give a 24-month workmanship warranty.

What accreditation gives you

From CASE's scheme page and information kit, accredited renovation firms must:

  • Protect your deposit. A deposit performance bond safeguards deposit payments against closure, winding up and liquidation.
  • Use the standard contract. The CaseTrust Standard Renovation Contract sets out each party's obligations, work schedules, progressive payment schedules, warranty and itemised pricing.
  • Cap the deposit. Initial deposits are capped at a maximum of 20% of the total cost, with further payments collected in phases on agreed milestones.
  • Price transparently. Additional charges, such as site preparation fees, 3D drawings or delivery, must be stated, and variations agreed in writing before the works.
  • Warrant the work. A workmanship warranty of 12 months from completion, during which the firm must fix defects arising from its work.
  • Resolve disputes properly. If a dispute cannot be resolved, you can request mediation at CASE, and accredited firms must attend.

Why it matters

CASE's 2025 figures show what is at stake. Complaints against renovation contractors fell from 962 in 2024 to 787 in 2025, and prepayment losses in the industry dropped from $728,813.76 to $190,667. CASE attributes the decline partly to more homeowners choosing CaseTrust-accredited firms. As of January 2026, CASE says 268 renovation businesses were accredited, against a target of 500 by 2027.

Accreditation does not guarantee good design or perfect workmanship. What it gives you is a contract, a protected deposit and a route to mediation if things go wrong.

How to check a renovation contractor: five steps

  1. Search the CaseTrust list. Use the list of accredited businesses on the CASE website. Match the exact company name and UEN on your quotation, not just the brand name. CASE's criteria require accredited firms with related companies to tell you if you are contracting with an entity that is not accredited, because those protections would not apply.
  2. Check HDB's Directory of Renovation Contractors (for HDB flats). HDB requires owners to use only DRC-listed contractors, and its e-Service lets you search DRC contractors and BCA Approved Window Contractors. According to CASE's information kit, CaseTrust-accredited firms enjoy a longer DRC listing validity of three years instead of two.
  3. Check the trades. Electrical works must be done by an EMA licensed electrical worker, water and sanitary plumbing by a PUB licensed plumber, and window works by a BCA Approved Window Contractor.
  4. Confirm the company is real and active. Look the company up on ACRA's Bizfile and make sure the name matches the contract and the bank account you pay into.
  5. Read the contract before paying anything. If the firm says it is CaseTrust-accredited, you should be signing the CaseTrust standard contract. Ask for a copy of the signed contract and a receipt for every payment.

If an accredited firm closes or a dispute arises

CASE explains that if a CaseTrust-accredited renovation business closes, consumers can claim back the unused portion of their prepayment, and that consumers receive proof of protection showing their details and the protected sum. Keep that document with your contract and receipts.

For disputes that are not about closure, such as delays or defects, start by raising the issue in writing with the firm, which must have a proper feedback and dispute process under the scheme. If that fails, you can ask for mediation at CASE. Keep a record of every message, site photo and variation you agreed, because mediation works best when the facts are clear on paper.

What neither list tells you

Being accredited or listed does not tell you whether a firm suits your home or your taste. Still do the basics: look at completed projects similar to yours, ask how they manage sub-contractors, and compare quotations on the same scope. Our guides on choosing an interior designer and comparing quotations cover this, and our payment schedule guide explains how to stage payments.

How JIAHOME fits

We are a design consultancy, not a renovation contractor. We design your home first for a fixed fee and give you a quotation listing every item without prices, so you can take the same scope to any contractor, including CaseTrust-accredited and DRC-listed firms, and compare like for like. See our services.

*This article is general information, not legal advice. Check the current scheme terms on the CASE website.*

Last updated 14 October 2026