Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act 2003 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 2 · Unfair Practices
12. Limitation period
Feedback & supportLast amended by an amending law of 2018. 2 amendments in all.
No action under section 6 may be commenced later than 2 years after —
the date of the occurrence of the last material event on which the action is based; or
the earliest date on which the consumer had knowledge that the supplier had engaged in the unfair practice to which the action relates, including —
in the case of an unfair practice mentioned in section 4(a) or (b) or involving any representation, act or omission that is false, deceptive or misleading, knowledge that the representation, act or omission is false, deceptive or misleading; and
in the case of an unfair practice mentioned in section 4(c) or involving taking advantage of the consumer, knowledge that the supplier had taken advantage of him or her,whichever occurs later.
No action under section 8(6), (7) or (8) may be commenced later than one year after the date of the failure to comply with the undertaking sought to be enforced.
No action under section 9 may be commenced later than 2 years —
after the date of the occurrence of the last material event on which the action is based; or
where the Commission alleges in the action that the supplier has engaged in an unfair practice in respect of any consumer, after the earliest date on which that consumer had knowledge that the supplier had engaged in the alleged unfair practice, as provided in subsection (1)(b),whichever occurs later.
The Commission must commence an action under section 10 within 2 years after the date of the occurrence of the last material event on which the action is based.
Commission
“Commission” means the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore established by section 3 of the Competition Act 2004;
No action under any regulations made under section 11 may be commenced later than one year after the date of the cancellation of the contract.
Knowledge that any representation, act or omission did or did not, as a matter of law, involve an unfair practice is irrelevant for the purposes of subsection (1)(b).
unfair practice
“unfair practice” means an unfair practice within the meaning of section 4;
For the purposes of subsection (1)(b), a consumer’s knowledge includes knowledge which he or she might reasonably have been expected to acquire from facts —
consumer
“consumer” means an individual who, otherwise than exclusively in the course of business —(a)receives or has the right to receive goods or services from a supplier; or(b)has a legal obligation to pay a supplier for goods or services that have been or are to be supplied to another individual;
observable or ascertainable by him or her; or
ascertainable by him or her with the help of appropriate expert advice which it is reasonable for him or her to seek.
A consumer is not taken, by virtue of subsection (7), to have knowledge of a fact ascertainable only with the help of expert advice so long as the consumer has taken all reasonable steps to obtain (and, where appropriate, to act on) that advice.
The Limitation Act 1959 applies (with the necessary modifications, including the modifications set out in the Fourth Schedule) to actions referred to in this section as if such actions were actions for which a period of limitation is prescribed in Part 2 of the Limitation Act 1959.