Disgruntled fish spa customers: They can complain...or they can bring up the issue & file a claim with the Small Claims Tribunal

It's always heartening to read how customers fight for their rights. Remember about this "Complaint against Nokia / A new hope for Adrian Chew"?

And now it's about the disappointed fish spa customers who have to face the tragic fact that the spa "Kampong Fish Therapy" (co-owned by 881 movie star, Ms. Yeo Yann Yann) was closed down in April this year. See, they already paid for their spa sessions and now before they could fully use all the sessions (their legs are now deprived of being nibbled by starving fish!), the customers have to fight to get their money reimbursed.

It's definitely a stressful experience, anyone can tell from how the article tells about the two customers' plights.

For those who are interested to one day filing a report to the Small Claims Tribunal (let's exercise our rights as customers, shall we?), please check out this site, "The Subordinate Courts of Singapore: Small Claims Tribunals". It explains the step by step of how to file a claim with the Small Claims Tribunal. The fee is relatively cheap: $10 fee if the claim is not exceeding $5,000 and $20 if the claim is more than $5,000 but less than $10,000. Do take note that the fee would be 1% of the claim if the amount you are fighting for is more than $10,000 but less than $20,000.

Yes, there is a fee involved, but at least you now have a fair chance to fight & win your money back.

Moreover, do know that the other party has much to lose as well if he/she is taking his/her sweet time to resolve the issue. One thing for sure, he/she can just say goodbye to his/her reputation.

And the media which covers the story will pick up how professional the other party is. Check out how badly it sounds as the co-owner of the spa, Ms. Yeo Yann Yann claimed that she did not know whether customers had been informed about her spa closure and gave a lame excuse that she was not in charge of operations and that she had neglected (the operations) as she was busy with other work. Right. Very assuring, Ms. Yeo.

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Two months after a celebrity- owned fish spa's abrupt closure, customers have yet to get a refund.

And for at least one of them, time is running out.

Kampong Fish Therapy, co-owned by actress Yeo Yann Yann, closed in April due to the economic crisis, my paper reported last month.

When contacted, the company promised refunds to customers with unused sessions, but did not answer questions on how many customers were affected, how much it would compensate them or even when it would do so.

In an e-mail message yesterday, all spa co-owner Dollei Seah would say is that 'shareholders had re-invested to repay suppliers, business partners and customers'.

'On behalf of all the shareholders, I sincerely apologise for the current circumstances,' she said.

Ms Seah added: 'The company has tried its best to refund customers with remaining packages, though themajority of our customers have either completed their packages or their packages have expired.'

Shareholders have no additional funds at this point to further invest in the business, she said.

Frustrated customers who have yet to hear from the company are losing patience.

One of them, Mrs Joanne Kan, a 30-year-old administrative assistant, is desperate to get her money back before she leaves Singapore next month for two years.

She and her husband have used only three out of the 50 spa sessions they paid $500 for in September last year.

Mrs Kan said: 'When will they be refunding us? I hope for a satisfactory answer or I'll go to the Small Claims Tribunal.'

Executive officer Lynn Ng, 29, who paid $1,000 for 50 sessions in January, said: 'Until I get the money, it's just empty talk. I don't know how long this will drag on as we have nobody to contact.'

Ms Ng filed a claim with the Small Claims Tribunal last month.

Notable names in Singapore listed among the company's shareholders are actress Irene Ang, Ms Andrea Teo, vice-president of entertainment at Resorts World Sentosa, and French fashion photographer Olivier Henry.

From Asiaone, "Fish spa's clients still awaiting compensation".

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Fish spa co-owned by actress Yeo Yann Yann has become the latest victim of the downturn.

Contacted by my paper yesterday, Yeo, who shot to fame starring in Singapore movie 881, said that Kampong Fish Therapy closed down last month 'because of poor business in the economic crisis'.

The abrupt closure of the Sixth Avenue shop has left some customers who had unused sessions from packages stranded. Executive officer Lynn Ng, 29, paid $1,000 in January for 50 new spa sessions.

She said: 'The spa asked me to buy a new package as my previous sessions were almost up. But last month, I called several times and nobody picked up.'

Desperate, she paid the shop a visit and found it closed. my paper also found it shut. Online complaints by angry customers have also emerged.

Mr Roland Ng, 45, who owns a pet shop next door, said that more than 10 people have come into his shop in the past month inquiring if the spa had folded.

Asked if customers had been notified about the spa's closure, Yeo said: 'I don't know, I'm not in charge of operations... It's something I have neglected as I'm busy with other work.'

She said that she would discuss the issue with fellow investors. Added Yeo: 'I don't think we want to set up a business, cheat you of your money and then run away.'

Its business profile, as registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority and sent by an irate customer to my paper, shows that the spa's holding company - Dr Fish - is still active.

Listed as shareholders are notable names like actress Irene Ang, vice-president of the entertainment and events division at Resorts World Sentosa Andrea Teo and French fashion photographer Olivier Henry.

From Asiaone, "881 star's fish spa falls prey to downturn".