24/10/2023

Spate of neighbour disputes

Woman upset with neighbour allegedly showering outside her home every week

A woman took to social media to express her frustration after witnessing her neighbour take repeated showers in front of her HDB flat.

In a post shared on Saturday (Nov 4) in Facebook group Complaint Singapore,  user Kang Pei Ling shared a video captured by her CCTV camera showing a half-naked man showering in front of her corridor.

In the three-minute-long video, the man was first seen crouching down at the stairwell with a red bucket of water as he washes his head. After finishing, he pours the bucket of water away on the ground in front of Kang's home.


Bukit Panjang woman who poured pee into neighbour's shoes fined S$800

A woman who harassed her eighth-floor neighbours by pouring pee into their shoes has been fined S$800. The 68-year-old named Wang Su Chuan was charged with two counts of mischief and two counts of wilful trespass, Shin Min Daily News and Today reported.

Wang lives in a HDB flat at Bukit Panjang. Charge sheets stated that Wang poured urine on her neighbour's shoes and shoe rack in the corridor on Apr. 24, 2021. She also used a marker pen to draw circles on the floor of their corridor on Feb. 4, 2022. Wang trespassed into her neighbour's house twice. On May. 11, 2023, upset by the noise from her neighbour's renovation work, she entered their flat to voice her complaints. Wang went to the kitchen and spoke to one of the renovation workers there, demanding to speak to one of her neighbours. She then argued with a neighbour, who chased her out of the unit.

On Jun. 23, 2023, Wang realised that one of her sandals was "missing" and suspected a neighbour threw it away. She then threw the other sandal that was not "missing" into her neighbour's unit. When she entered their flat again, she found no one inside. Hence, she picked up her sandals and left.



Jurong resident accuses neighbour of sweeping dirt onto his doorstep

A resident living in Jurong East has recently taken to social media to call out his neighbour who has been allegedly sweeping dirt onto his doorstep.

Hady Jay posted a video on Complaint Singapore last Sunday (Oct 31), which showed his neighbour using a pink cloth to sweep what appears to be dust towards his doorstep.

"No wonder every day we see a lot of hair and prayer ashes outside our door," wrote the man. "We usually have to throw water every morning and wash our front door."

related:


'I can't rest in the morning nor sleep at night': Sengkang resident files police reports against neighbour over noisy parrot
A Sengkang resident claims that his neighbour's parrot has been disrupting his rest FOTO:Shin Min Daily News

The presence of a parrot near his home has ruffled one Sengkang resident's feathers, as he claims the bird's noises are disruptive. 

The man, surnamed Zhang, lives on the 12th floor of Block 174B Sengkang Avenue 1. He told Shin Min Daily News that his neighbour on the 11th floor had bought a pet parrot about six months ago. 

As his neighbour placed the bird's cage outside the kitchen window, the 50-year-old property manager claimed that the bird's constant squawking has been a significant source of disturbance in their lives. Zhang added that he has also made multiple police reports against his neighbour due to the noise.

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Bukit Batok Resident Apologises For Hanging Pork Belly On Laundry Rack
Wanted To Make It With Hometown Flavours

Earlier this week, a Bukit Batok resident’s complaint of his neighbour hanging pork belly slices on a laundry rack went viral. Soy sauce had apparently dripped from the meat and onto the neighbour’s clean clothes, soiling them in the process. The resident responsible for hanging the pork belly slices has since apologised to her neighbours for the incident, claiming they wanted to make it with a “taste of home”.
According to Shin Min Daily News, one of the residents living above – known as Shui Shui – had already removed the pork belly slices from the laundry rack.

Speaking to the Chinese daily, Shui Shui said her mother wanted to cook homemade pork belly with “flavours from their hometown” for the upcoming Chinese New Year. The older woman had been unable to return to her home country for the past three years due to the pandemic, Shin Min Daily News reports. As it was sunny that afternoon, Shui Shui’s mother hung the slices outside after marinating them.

“We didn’t know we couldn’t do this, so we took it off as soon as we were told,” she added. Deeply apologetic for the trouble caused, Shui Shui explained that she had no intention of offending her neighbours. After the incident, she went down to personally apologise to them. “The neighbour has accepted my apology and I promise not to do it again,” Shui Shui said.


Couple Hung Pork Belly At Window To Preserve Meat
Preserved meat was hung for 2 hours but They Won’t Do It Again

Pictures of pork belly being hung from a Jurong HDB window rack have been circulating on social media. For obvious reasons, the residents were chided online for the unhygienic and insensitive practice. The couple has since responded to the outrage, claiming that they only hung the meat for 2 hours and promised not to do it again.

They were apparently attempting to make preserved meat as their suppliers were experiencing distribution issues. When interviewed by 8World News, 38-year-old homeowner Ms Yang said she was attempting to make preserved meat at the time, something her husband enjoyed tremendously. However, their supplier who ships from overseas, couldn’t do so during the pandemic. As a result, they tried making their own preserved meat for the first time.

Ms Yang’s husband even went online to learn the process and initially dried the meat in their kitchen, reports 8World News. Due to space constraint while prepping dinner, they reportedly had to hang the dried meat outside for 2 hours. Ms Yang also told 8World News that they understand their neighbours’ concerns about not wanting their clothing to be contaminated. However, the 38-year-old claims the meat was already dried overnight. Furthermore, she claims she didn’t know that the practice wasn’t allowed and promised not to do it again.


Woman admits placing raw beef on neighbour's doorstep because she thought he molested her

Wanting to scare her neighbour and give him a warning, a woman placed raw beef on a man's doorstep and shouted before leaving. However, she instead caused distress to the man's mother, who does not consume beef.

Farhana Mohamed Suwati, 31, pleaded guilty on Wednesday (Apr 21) to a charge each of mischief and using insulting behaviour with intent to cause distress. A third charge will be considered in sentencing.

The court heard that Farhana lived next door to the victims, a 48-year-old man and his 79-year-old mother. On one night in May 2020, Farhana approached the victims' flat and placed raw beef on the doorstep. She shouted "wei" and left.


Welcome to the jungle: Bukit Panjang resident annoyed by neighbour's overgrown plants

Is a mini jungle sprouting out of Block 607 Senja Road in Bukit Panjang?

Stomp contributor S, who lives on a lower floor, is annoyed by overgrown plants along several corridors of the block.

He shared photos of the greenery and what the exterior of the block looks like from downstairs.

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Woman seeks help after ‘irresponsible’ neighbour leaves bug-infested furniture items at lift lobby

A woman appealed for help on a popular page on Facebook with what to do with her neighbour whom she said “left bug-infested furniture items” at their lift lobby. The problem, wrote Ms Michelle Poh on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook page on Sunday (Mar 5), is that “These bugs then crawl into my unit.”

And even though they’ve left a note to their neighbour, this person “did it again…Or rather thrice. Complained to town council but no effective action other than pasting poster saying it’s illegal to dump items.” She then thanked readers in advance asking for help on her next course of action.

Ms Poh posted photos of two sofas, one which appears to be covered in leather and the other in a wicker-type material, as well as a cabinet. She also posted a screenshot of a memo from Ang Mo Kim Town Council, which enjoins residents not to leave their bulky items in common areas including lift lobbies.


Ang Mo Kio resident dumps sofa and blocks corridor, receives scathing 'love letters' from neighbours

People have different ways of dealing with conflicts, and it seems like these exasperated residents prefer taking a more scathing yet non-confrontational approach to admonish a neighbour for obstructing lift access in their block.

On a post uploaded to Facebook group Complaint Singapore on Monday (Jan 16), some resident left notes for their neighbour after they had dumped a sofa near the lift landing at an Ang Mo Kio block.

The long sofa was obstructing access to the walkway and lift. There were several notes – written in English and Chinese – pasted on the neighbour's sofa.

related:


Haig Road residents continue to clutter corridor with items even after fire in 2017

Residents at Block 4 Haig Road are frustrated with clutter obstructing a common corridor at Block 4 Haig Road.

A Stomper shared with Stomp photos of various items left out in the corridor on the eleventh floor of the block. He told Stomp that the items belong to the same household where a fire broke out on July 29, 2017.

The fire started in the kitchen of the unit and a woman and two children were taken to hospital. "This same neighbour has the same habit of crowding the public walkway with items that causes inconveniences and are a fire hazard," the Stomper said.


Yishun hoarder has 'gotten worse' with clutter

A resident in Yishun has accumulated even more clutter than before despite feedback from neighbours and the town council's intervention.

The issue involving a ground-floor unit at Block 135 Yishun Street 11 was first highlighted by Stomp in July 2020, when a neighbour complained about an unpleasant smell and pests from the flat.

The neighbour also expressed safety concerns and noted that the clutter, which belongs to an elderly woman, was blocking the entrance of the flat in question.


Cluttered Yishun corridor has been cleaned up 5 times in 2020, but situation remains 'challenging'

A resident in Yishun has been cluttering the corridor with bulky items "for the longest time", but the situation remains a challenge for the authorities and neighbours despite intervention.

Stomper Lydia said an elderly woman, who lives in a ground-floor unit at Block 135 Yishun Street 11, is responsible for the clutter. Lydia, who moved into the area a year ago, told Stomp: "There are so many things outside her house. The things are blocking the stairs entrance to her house.

"It's so dangerous as it's a fire hazard. How will she escape if there's a fire?


'Mountain of rubbish' at new Woodleigh block: Notices put up to warn against illegal dumping

While Block 207 Woodleigh Link is a new block where residents are starting to move in, it does not feel as clean and welcoming as it should be.

This is no thanks to rubbish that has been piling up at the common area at the foot of the block.

Stomper Edwin shared a video taken on Tuesday afternoon (Nov 22), showing a heap of bulky items dumped on the ground and spilling out onto the road.


Teen pleads guilty to filling neighbour’s keyhole with superglue, cutting police camera wires

Over the span of two weeks, an 18-year-old girl committed such acts of mischief against her neighbour until he eventually moved out, when she damaged the door and locks on his main gate.

On one particular day, Jasmine Lau Jie Min filled the keyhole of the neighbour’s main gate with superglue and used watercolour paint to draw on his doors and windows.

She also threw water, which had been left out for the neighbourhood’s stray cats, and a bamboo pole into his flat through an unsecured window.

related:


Woman 'going crazy’ over daily piano sounds from next door

At first, Ms C (not her real name) thought it was "quite nice" to hear piano music coming from her neighbour's home during the "circuit breaker" period, when people were ordered to stay in to curb the spread of COVID-19. Then about six months later, from October 2020, her next-door neighbour began playing the same song daily, between 7am and 11pm. "She was waking us up every single day," Ms C, who is pregnant and in her 30s, told CNA.

It got so bad that she and her husband started hearing the song in their heads even when it was not being played. They live in a condominium in western Singapore. Ms C said she tried several ways to resolve the issue, including reaching out to the neighbour. She claimed the woman was "quite adamant" that she could continue what she was doing and that it was "her right to play the piano". After her husband spoke to the neighbour's husband, the woman switched to playing a second song, but did so over and over again, said Ms C.

When she contacted the condominium's managing body, she said she was told that they could not do anything, as there is no by-law stating a specific time when the neighbour could or could not play the piano. "But the by-laws do say that all residents are given the right to peace and quiet … so if music is penetrating into my house, even with all the doors and windows closed, shouldn't that be an issue? But the MCST was just quite not helpful," said Ms C.


S'pore police investigating woman, 48, seen disrupting neighbour's Hindu prayers

The police are investigating an incident in which a woman was filmed interrupting her neighbour's Hindu prayers by clanging a gong repeatedly.

A 48-year-old woman is assisting the police with investigations after a report was lodged, the police confirmed in response to media queries. Livanesh Ramu, who is believed to be the woman's next-door neighbour, posted a 19-second video clip of the incident on Facebook on June 9. The video showed a bespectacled man ringing a bell while conducting rites outside his HDB flat. He is likely performing Hindu prayers, where ringing a bell is a common practice.

In an update on Thursday evening, Livanesh said he and his family have been in touch with the police.



Marsiling resident can only cook 3 times a day due to complaints over ‘pungent’ smell
A dispute broke out after one resident complained about the “pungent” smell coming from her neighbour’s cooking

The neighbours, who reside at Block 26 Marsiling Drive, attended mediation at the Community Mediation Centre (CMC) over the dispute, reported the Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily News on Saturday (May 29).

According to the 61-year-old housewife, her neighbour enjoyed cooking fried fish, chicken wings and curry, among other dishes, every day. The woman claimed that the “pungent smell of oily smoke” would often drift up to her apartment, filling her living room and bedrooms. She had to close her windows every day to keep out the smoke and smell.

The woman told Shin Min that this had been going on for five to six years though her family had complained to the town council several times against the neighbour. They had also complained to the police more than 10 times. Eventually, the issue was placed before the CMC for mediation.



Marsiling Family Hires Lawyer, They Want Peace & Neighbour’s Accusations To Stop
Marsiling Family Lives 5 Years With Neighbour’s Complaints About Cooking

As most of us live in close spaces with others, some friction is expected.

However, when things escalate for years with no end in sight, there has to be a line drawn.

When Madam Wang, a resident at Block 26 Marsiling Drive, claimed that her downstairs neighbours’ cooking smell was pungent, the family initially agreed to cook within certain hours only.



Woman finds used condom and rubbish at Bukit Batok staircase landing, makes police report

A resident was left disgusted after coming across litter left behind at a Housing Board (HDB) staircase landing in Bukit Batok on Tuesday night (June 1).

Stomper JTan was appalled by the sight of a used condom, along with other rubbish, on the second-floor staircase landing of Block 524 Bukit Batok Street 52.

JTan said: "I was waiting for my husband at our block's staircase when I noticed rubbish in the area. This includes a can of soda, a bottle of green tea, and a used condom hanging on the staircase's railing.


Punggol housing block residents plagued by sanitary pad litterbug
Rolled sanitary pads discarded on the ground floor of a housing block. (Photo: Punggol Sapphire resident)

Over the past few months, residents at a Housing Board block in Punggol Sapphire estate have grappled with high-rise litter in the form of used sanitary pads – strewn across the ground floor or even stuck to their window ledges.

Residents at Block 268C Punggol Field told CNA that the problem surfaced around the COVID-19 "circuit breaker" period last year, when they began finding stained sanitary pads at the first floor of the housing block.

“When walking back from the multi-storey car park, I was so shocked to see this thing lying on the grass patch and drain covers,” said Ms Sue. The residents CNA spoke to did not want to reveal their full names as that would make known their address.


S’pore Lady’s Neighbour Complains About Noise, She Shares Her Family’s Daily Routine
Neighbour Allegedly Complains About Noise For 1.5 Years

In space-constrained Singapore, many residents live in close proximity to one another. While we’re accustomed to the tight space, some unfortunately still struggle to co-exist peacefully, resorting to complaints that often get escalated to the authorities.

A Singapore resident recently took to social media to share about noise complaints she has allegedly been receiving from her neighbour since the start of ‘Circuit Breaker’ back in 2020.

The mother of 2 young children claims she has had the authorities checking on her on multiple occasions, and even received a legal letter of mediation.


Bukit Panjang Neighbours Purposely Blast Music At Night To Spite Man, Ordered To Leave Their Flat

For over 2 years, Mr Daniel See, 29, has had to endure repeated disturbances from his downstairs neighbours at his apartment at Pending Road.

But at 8am on Saturday (4 Jan), he pasted the first-ever Exclusion Order from the Community Dispute Resolution Tribunal (CDRT) onto his neighbour’s front door.

The order directs his neighbours to leave their residence, and bars them from returning for a month until 6 Feb.


First Exclusion Order issued to bar man's noisy neighbours from home
Mr Daniel See pasting a copy of an Exclusion Order directing his neighbours to leave their residence after they were found to have breached an earlier court order to stop creating a din.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

After two years and multiple trips to court, a man has succeeded in barring his noisy neighbours from returning home for a month.

For the first time, the Community Dispute Resolution Tribunal (CDRT) has issued an Exclusion Order and directed a couple to leave their residence, after they were found to have breached an earlier court order to stop creating a din and preventing Mr Daniel See, 29, from enjoying his home.

Couple directed to leave their 3-room flat for a month, but man claims order hard to enforce.


Condominium neighbours in court over woman's alleged splashing of water, bouncing of basketball

A woman went on trial on Tuesday (Jan 19) for allegedly abusive behaviour, such as repeatedly splashing water down into her first-floor neighbour's condominium unit and deliberately bouncing a ball and causing "unreasonable noise".

Madam Helen Lim Hai Loon is accusing Lee Soh Geok in a private prosecution of abusive behaviour likely to cause harassment and distress between Jan 29, 2019 and May 22, 2020. Lee lives with her mother in the unit right above Madam Lim's unit at Citylife @ Tampines condominium. She is contesting three charges under the Protection from Harassment Act of deliberately splashing rain water or waste water from her second-floor unit onto the roof extension of Mdm Lim's home, and of deliberately bouncing a ball and causing unreasonable noise from her apartment.

Mdm Lim recorded the acts in a notebook that was shown in court, and has obtained more than 70 video or audio clips of the splashing acts as well as 10 clips of ball-bouncing incidents.


Tampines Residents Burn Incense Paper Along Corridor, Neighbour Says Town Council Advised Them Not To
Tampines Resident Says Neighbours Burn Directly Under His Window, Concerned For Elderly Dad’s Health

Most Singaporeans have lived in high-density public housing our whole lives, and you’d think that by now we should be used to having some consideration for those who live nearby.

However, it seems that there are still residents out there who need to do better.

According to a Tampines resident, his next-door neighbours have been burning incense paper at the common corridor, sending smoke and burning embers through their window.


2 HDB Residents Burn Paper Along Corridor

Two HDB residents in Tanjong Pagar took the term “lit” to a literal level early yesterday morning.

A video posted on Facebook shows them burning paper along the corridors of their flats for the Mid-Autumn celebrations.

Shortly after the video begins, a resident on the upper floor of a Tanjong Pagar HDB building is seen throwing pieces of paper into the small fire outside her unit.


Hougang Neighbours Quarrel In Public & Assault Each Other Using Metal Container

3 Women Arrested After Physical Confrontation At Block 658 Hougang Avenue 8
Living in such close proximity with one another, conflicts can sometimes arise between neighbours.

However, things between some Hougang neighbours escalated into a fight on Monday (10 May).

After a quarrel, a mother-daughter duo allegedly poured hot soup on a woman.


Hougang Woman Tolerates Neighbour’s Antics For 11 Years

For an MS News reader living in Hougang who requested to remain anonymous, her nightmarish encounters began 11 years ago when her neighbour suddenly started complaining about her family.

Over the years, things escalated, but despite seeking help from various organisations, little could be done to resolve matters.

At her wits’ end, she decided to document what it’s like living with a “neighbour from hell” on TikTok.


Hougang Catfight: Mother-daughter-neighbour fight involves blows to the head, thrown soup

An altercation between neighbours in Hougang Avenue caused two women to be treated for minor injuries by the Singapore Civil Defence Force. The fight between one woman against an adult mother-daughter pair involved the duo hitting the woman with a metal container and throwing soup at her. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed when neighbours stepped in to stop the fight.

The incident occurred last Monday (May 10), at around 6.23 pm. The woman was on her way back to her flat at Block 658 Hougang Ave 8 bearing food in a metal container when she encountered the mother, 74, and her daughter, 55.

Since they have a history of being at odds with one another, the encounter ended up in a fight between the three women, according to  Shin Min Daily News. AsiaOne quotes one of the woman’s family members as saying they had all gotten along until the beginning of the year when a dispute had occurred because of a missing child.


Yishun Neighbour Allegedly Litters & Smashes Window With Rock Thrown From Upstairs

In land-scarce Singapore, many live in close proximity to their neighbours, and this can cause friction from time to time, especially if one has inconsiderate neighbours.

One family in Yishun knows this all too well. They claimed that their neighbour has been throwing things like used sanitary pads and curry sauce at their window from upstairs for the past year.

A month ago, the same neighbour allegedly threw a rock into one of the windows, smashing it and sending shards flying into the flat.


Aljunied Residents Throw Food Waste Out Of Window, NEA Might Install Cameras
Aljunied Residents Throw Food Waste Out Of Window, Pigeons, Rats & Cockroaches Have A Feast

For many Singaporeans, their home is their refuge, a place of rest and repose in comfort and clean surroundings.

But while you can make your home as comfortable as possible, we can’t control what happens outside, sometimes in our immediate surroundings.

Take this resident of this block in Aljunied, who’s greeted by the sight of this every day.


Neighbour from hell has been throwing braised sauce, sanitary pads & urine along neighbour's corridor for 2 years
Bizarre Video

No neighbour is perfect. They might sometimes misplace a potted plant, or slam the gates a bit too loudly, which could cause some friction. But it usually isn't anything malicious or long-running.

There was no such luck for these 2 residents at Block 112 of Yishun Ring Road though. According to an article in Shin Min Daily News, for 2 years, the 2 neighbours have had to undergo quite the ordeal, thanks to a mysterious shades-wearing auntie. Well, the incident started 2 years back when one of the 2 affected residents, Ms Yeo, found that someone had been splashing salt, and oil on her metal gates, causing it to rust.

Her neighbour, Ms Lim, soon suffered the same wrath, when she found piles of rubbish on her bicycle along her corridor. All this took place within the span of half a year. It was during this time, they found out that the culprit was the lady in shades who lived one floor below them.


Singapore’s Urine Incident: A Disturbing Reflection of Urban Life

In the quiet, orderly world of Singapore, the residents of a flat in Bukit Panjang found themselves embroiled in a disturbing saga, as 68-year-old Wang Su Chuan tipped the scales of decorum. Wang’s unneighborly conduct reached a new low when she poured urine into her neighbor’s shoes, an act caught on CCTV on April 24, 2023.

Wang, seemingly a benign elderly resident, had been disrupting the peace in Bukit Panjang since 2021. Her bizarre behavior escalated when she drew a circle on the corridor floor with a marker on February 4, 2022. However, it was the urine incident that finally led to legal action, resulting in a fine of 800 Singapore dollars – a hefty penalty by any measure. When interrogated about her strange antics, Wang justified her actions by citing her neighbor’s noisy renovations as the source of her discontent. But was this a desperate plea for quiet, a symptom of deeper issues or simply the actions of a disgruntled neighbor? The story raises questions about city living, the close quarters we share, and the pressures they bring to bear on our daily lives.

In the bustling island city-state of Singapore, where personal space is limited, Wang’s actions have sent ripples through the community. The prosecutor, while acknowledging Wang’s repeated offenses, argued that she didn’t cause any significant harm. The decision has sparked debate, as residents ponder whether the punishment fits the crime and the broader implications for their compact community. Meanwhile, another Singaporean incident has caught the public’s attention. A cleaner confronted a man for prolonged use of a public toilet while on his phone, an event shared on TikTok. The public’s reaction to these incidents reflects the strain of living in a densely populated city, where every action resonates, for better or worse, with those around us.


How to deal with difficult neighbours
Difficult neighbours in Singapore

There are close to 3,500 spats between neighbours in Singapore every year. What's behind these disputes and how can you deal with a neighbour from hell, especially ones that cause constant noise in the middle of the night? Talking Point investigates.


Resolving Disputes with a Neighbour from Hell in Singapore

Is your neighbour guilty of: splashing questionable substances along the corridor of your home, making a ruckus in the wee hours of the morning or late into the night, being physically or verbally violent towards you and your family or…all of the above? If you answered yes to any of these, it sounds like you have a neighbour from hell.

With everyone living so close together in Singapore, complaints about neighbours making too much noise or damaging property are unfortunately not that uncommon. What can you do if you have a dispute with your neighbour in Singapore?

While neighbour disputes are not within the purview of the Housing Development Board (HDB), there are several options open to you in resolving these disputes:
  • Resolve the Matter with Your Neighbour Directly
  • Speak with Your Grassroots Leaders
  • Make a Police Report
  • File a Magistrate’s Complaint
  • Mediation at the Community Mediation Centre (CMC)
  • File a Claim at the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal (CDRT)

Managing Neighbour Disputes

Most neighbour disputes can be resolved effectively and amicably with a little thoughtfulness and patience. Communicate with your neighbours politely, listen to them and be willing to compromise to maintain a harmonious living environment. How should I approach my neighbour about his/ her annoying behaviour?

Before the conversation
  • Identify the most appropriate time to approach your neighbour. 
  • Don’t confront your neighbour when you are angry as this may upset your neighbour. 
  • Work out what you want to say before you speak to your neighbour.
During the conversation
  • Don’t lose your temper as this would make things worse and harder to sort out. 
  • Keep calm and be polite while you attempt to talk things through.
Ending the conversation
  • Thank your neighbour for his/her time and leave on a friendly note. 
  • Wait a few days to see if the problem has been solved.

7 HDB Rules You Should Know To Avoid Flouting The Law Or Getting Neighbour Complaints

Though most of us grew up in HDBs, we may not know that there are a few rules that we could be in danger of flouting.

So you’ve just applied for a BTO or you’re a seasoned homeowner doing some renovations and looking forward to your brand new HDB. Before you go all out, why not use the time to brush up on some of the rules and regulations of your dream home. Our HDB blocks are the kampungs of our generation and there’s no better way to foster neighborly spirits than making sure you don’t step on anyone’s toes – or worse, risk getting into trouble with the authorities. If you don’t want your neighbors to close the lift doors on you every time they see you approaching, make sure to keep these rules in mind.

Here’s how to avoid a run in with the law:
  • No hanging of wet laundry
  • No renting of HBDs to visitors
  • No running a large scale business from your HDB
  • Keep noise levels down between 10.30PM to 7.00AM
  • No obstructing the corridor with shoe racks
  • No installation of unauthorized CCTV cameras
  • No smoking outside your house, at the void deck or stairwell

15 Annoying Things Neighbours Do And What You Can Do About It!

Being an adult can get pretty hectic at times, what with juggling work, family, friends, "me" time, responsibilities, making sure mouths are fed, and bills paid on time; it’s a never-ending race! After a tiring day, you want to come home to your sanctuary to relax and recharge your batteries for tomorrow. Maybe play some lo-fi tunes and chill with some aromatherapy candles.

As soon as you walk into your unit, that’s when you hear it: Your neighbours arguing upstairs. You hear screaming, things thrown around, and somewhere down the corridor, loud barking. To top it all off, your next-door neighbour decides it’s the perfect time to practice their beginner violin lessons, and someone else has arrived home just in time to burn some religious offerings at their balcony that tickle your nose. With such neighbours that rob you of the peace and quiet you deserve so much, what can you do about it? Is it merely enough to raise your voice at them, or can you take legal matters?

Let’s look at some examples of neighbours from hell, and how you can go about fixing your woes, whether it’s through a private 1-on-1 conversation or with the help of law enforcement:
  • Parking outside your house without permission
  • Overgrowing their trees/plants
  • Making loud noises and disturbing others
  • Neglecting proper pet care
  • Self-inviting themselves to your events
  • Entering into your house uninvited
  • Pointing CCTVs at other people’s houses
  • Disposing rubbish in someone else’s garbage bin
  • Damaging other people’s property
  • Turning private property into an Airbnb or office
  • Stealing your resources
  • Asking you to babysit their kids last minute or receive their parcels
  • Conducting frequent open burning
  • Building past their property and intruding into yours
  • Failing to maintain the upkeep of their home

8 Ways To Deal With The Neighbor From Hell

Call it a social issue on steroids, says Bob Borzotta, author of “Neighbors From Hell: Managing Today’s Brand of Conflict Close to Home.” Neighbor disputes have become a major problem in the last two decades, and people’s ways of making others miserable in their own homes can be practically sadistic. “I heard of a family who moved because of a neighbor from hell (NFH),” says Borzotta, “but on moving day, the NFH followed the moving van and subsequently started harassing the former neighbors in their new digs.” Eventually, they stopped, but it proved Borzotta’s contention that it’s probably easier to leave a bad spouse than a bad neighbor.

Living next to an uncooperative neighbor is awful on many levels. Financially, it can affect the property value of your home (think unkempt lawn and shrubs, old cars everywhere.) Emotionally, it can threaten your sense of well-being and safety.

The good news is: There are many actions you can take short of declaring war. “These actions all start,” says Borzotta, “before a dispute arises.”
  • Think about where you’re living
  • Introduce yourself
  • Timing—and empathy
  • Don’t make assumptions
  • Know the governing laws in your neighborhood
  • Gather evidence
  • And speaking of authorities
  • Consider mediation

Dealing with a Terrible Neighbor

One of the biggest blessings of living in a community is having good neighbors—people you enjoy being around and are there when you need them. However, the opposite is true of bad neighbors who can make your life miserable. The bad ones can make you think of calling a realtor and putting your house up for sale.

If you have neighbors who are rude or show a lack of consideration for you and the other people on your street, you might be tempted to react with rude behavior of your own. While this may bring you momentary satisfaction, it could have long-range damaging effects.

Here are some ways to deal with bad neighbors in ways that don't diminish your own integrity, cause you to do something desperate, or make you appear rude:
  • Introduce Yourself
  • Offer an Invitation
  • Help with the Upkeep
  • Handle Issues at the Base
  • Avoid Gossiping About the Neighbors
  • Be Nice to the Children
  • Don't Blame the Pets
  • Know Your Boundaries

NUMBER OF NEIGHBOURLY DISPUTES ROSE IN 2020

According to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Law, which oversees the Community Mediation Centre (CMC) that handles neighbourly disputes, the number of such cases rose in 2020 from the year before. Most of the disputes registered in 2020 were related to noise, unacceptable conduct or cigarette smoke, said the spokesperson. She said the increase could be attributed to more residents staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly during the circuit breaker months, as well as increased awareness of CMC's services.

Of the cases that went to mediation, more than 80 per cent were resolved amicably, said the ministry. The Ministry of National Development (MND) previously said that HDB received an average of 3,400 reports or feedback per year on "social disamenities" between neighbours from 2015 to 2019. From January to September 2020, HDB received about 11,400 cases of feedback on noise from residents' daily activities. This is an increase from the 3,600 cases logged for the same period in 2019.

There were about 500 cases of feedback per month from January to March 2020, increasing to about 1,800 cases per month from April to July 2020, especially during the circuit breaker period when most people had to stay home. The number of feedback cases fell to 1,300 per month from August 2020, likely due to people returning to work and school.


7 Neighbour Horror Stories That Have Made These Singaporeans Want To Move Out ASAP

In such a land-scarce area like Singapore, we often stay close to our neighbours, no matter if we’re dwelling in HDBs or private estates.

Unfortunately though, for every lovely neighbour that gives you food or helps you look after your home when you’re away, there are also neighbours out there that will appall you with their inconsiderate behaviour. Shouting, stomping, throwing stuff out like… prata? Truly, the sky’s the limit when it comes to the shenanigans these bad neighbours get up to.

We spoke to seven Singaporeans on their worst neighbour stories, and certainly hope yours isn’t likewise – give kindly Uncle Tan an appreciative hug now:
  • The neighbour who argues and shouts till 2AM
  • The neighbour who throws prata outside
  • The neighbour with “pointy” shoes and arrows directed at my door
  • The neighbour who smokes on the balcony near our house
  • The neighbour who’s always running up and down
  • The neighbour who installed a CCTV on us
  • The neighbour who burns incense with bell sounds at 5AM

More protection from irresponsible neighbours needed

Despite all the rules and regulations that Housing Board residents must follow, these rules do not seem to offer adequate protection from irresponsible or unreasonable neighbours. For example, I have a nightmarish neighbour who lives above me. Every weekend, I can hear the children in that apartment running around for almost the entire day. On weekdays, someone there also plays the guitar loudly during the stipulated hours.

While none of these actions violate HDB rules, they do impact our daily lives negatively. They affect my elderly parents even more as they could really use some quiet time. This has been hard to come by ever since that neighbour moved in. We have exhausted all means, from reasoning with them to calling up the town council and the HDB. Nothing has worked. The standard reply from the authorities is, "they did not violate any rule, there is nothing we can do".

I do agree that, by and large, they do not violate any rules, but does that make them good and responsible neighbours? I think not, and residents like my family, who would spare a thought for our neighbours before engaging in any noisy activity, are made to suffer. I do not understand why the good guys in this picture have to be subjected to such daily abuse. I sincerely hope the HDB is given more power to resolve these issues.


Unsanitary pads: Soiled high-rise litter
Bothers Punggol residents for months

How does one explain to their kid the presence of soiled sanitary pads strewn across the foot of their residential block?

"It's not just clear discharge, it's red," one frustrated mother told CNA. "I've got kids who ask me 'Mum, what's that?'"

Since the circuit breaker period last year, residents of Punggol Sapphire have been plagued by a menstruating litterbug.


Things That Go Bump in the Night In HDB flats
Strange, inexplicable noises in our homes can be eerie, but engineers say they are often linked to how sound travels through a building

They may not look like it in the day, but modern and vibrant Housing Board neighbourhoods are also where things can go bump in the night.

Marbles being dropped or rolled, and furniture dragged - these are some sounds that Serangoon North resident Terence Ng, 28, an associate engineer, hears in the night.

"It is common, yet unexplainable," he said. "The shifting of furniture seems very paranormal to me, but after so long, I am used to it. But still, it's something that I am curious about. To date, there has been no answer for it at all."


Spate of Online Scams
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