5 days ago
Over 50 Singapore homeowners locked out after smart lock distributor-manufacturer dispute
SINGAPORE: A dispute between a local distributor and a Chinese manufacturer has left more than 50 homeowners locked out of their smart locks, which were remotely disabled after a payment conflict.
Sales executive Du (surname transliterated), 39, told Shin Min Daily News that she purchased a S$1,500 smart lock from Technex International in February, which was installed in March.
Three months later, the lock stopped connecting to its mobile app.
'The company said it was due to a system update,' she said.
However, by mid-July, Du could no longer reach the company.
Its website and social media pages had disappeared, and Google Maps listed Technex as 'permanently closed'.
She later discovered that the app connection had been deliberately severed—the lock's serial number had been deleted by the manufacturer because of unpaid fees from the distributor.
'The smart lock has become an ordinary lock with no smart features, so we have no choice but to buy a new one,' she said, calling the distributor's actions unfair to customers.
After finding others facing similar issues, Du created a chat group to share updates.
The group now has 15 members, including some who never received their purchased locks.
Attempts to contact Technex International were unsuccessful.
Manufacturer Explains Dispute
The Chinese manufacturer confirmed it had signed a five-year contract with Technex, shipping goods after receiving a bank slip showing payment of RMB 1.55 million (S$277,000) on 24 December last year.
However, the distributor later withdrew the funds and vanished.
Despite two trips to Singapore, the manufacturer failed to locate the person in charge.
They managed to recover about RMB 300,000 (S$53,600) but are still owed RMB 1.25 million (S$223,400).
A police report has been filed, and a lawyer's letter sent.
All further shipments have been blocked.
'To our knowledge, some distributors bought this batch from Technex at low prices and resold them. We hope distributors stay vigilant,' a spokesperson said.
Technex's former shop at Vertex Building on Ubi Avenue 3 now stands empty, with a notice on the door stating the unit was locked due to unpaid rent of S$21,732.
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New Distributor Steps In
Lin (surname transliterated), who now heads new distributor Ascend Hardware, said they officially took over in mid-July after Technex ceased after-sales service in June.
Lin said that in just one week, the company had received over 50 complaints, including issues with missing deliveries and problems with the app.
Ascend Hardware has offered to assist where possible.
'For those who paid in full but haven't had installation, we'll cover 50% of the cost; for partial deposits, we'll still try to help.'
Consumer Advice
The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) confirmed receiving six complaints against Technex since January, citing defects, poor service, and unreachable staff.
CASE president Melvin Yong advised consumers to check warranty terms and verify service providers before making purchases.
Consumers needing assistance can contact CASE at 6277 5100 or via its website.
