Our flat has been leaking through the master bathroom since early this year.  HDB has basically been ineffective in getting our neighbours to repair their worn waterproofing.

After writing numerous letters and personal visits to HDB's office together with our MPs letters, the problem remains unresolved.

With prolonged water seepage, now both bathrooms are leaking, ceilings are sagging and cracking, the master bedroom ceiling has turned mouldy and so is our dining room wall.  It is clearly a matter of time before our ceilings collapses on us.

Why is HDB allowing our neighbours to continue victimising us?  Their solution is for us to engage our own lawyer so that they may wash their hands off this 'difficult problem' when it is clearly within the HDB Act Cap 129 to act on errant lessees who continue to breach the conditions of the Lease Agreement.

Can someone help us because we are so depressed, feel so powerless and are living in hell?

I'm not very sure about this HDB related matter....but if I were you, I would take pictures of all the damage that has been done to my apartment, go to HDB and ask them to investigate the damage.

I'll probably not tell them that the damage is caused by the neighbours, cos if I tell them....they won't even bother to do any form of investigating work. So the entire point is to ask HDB to investigate what is causing the damage and then you should have the right to ask HDB to assess if the entire ceiling structure is still structurally safe for you to live under it.

You might want to go down to HDB and make a bigger fuss to remind them of the urgency of your case.

And don't bother to sue your neighbours, chances are if they didn't caused the damage intentionally to your home, they are not liable for any damages. However, if the damage turns out to be caused by the poor construction of the flat itself. then of course HDB would be liable to take all the necessary actions to repair and enforce the structure so that it is safe for the resident to reside in it.

I believe all HDB flats have some form of warranty on all their structures. And no matter what happens, NEVER act smart and tell them what you think might have caused the damage and such. And of course don't tell them you want to sue them. People are more likely to help you out if you remain calm and collected throughout the entire process until your ceiling is repaired.

Forgive your neighbours, this is something that is not caused by them and is also beyond their control. Most important task is to get your ceiling structurally-safe and restored.

I think this is something that could happened to anyone provided they are living in HDB flats/apartments. And it could even happen to the HDB person who is handling your case and denying you of your rights as a resident.

Let us know what's the progress and don't forget to update us ok?

Move out lor.

complain to MP? time to make them do their job...

Yes, you should hire a lawyer.. not to sue your neighbour.. but you need to sue the HDB for lack of due diligence as the lessor.

Ask to speak to the director or upper level managements. Keep escalating until you get the problem fixed.

How about visiting your neighbor to see how civilise they are and then explain to them about your problem in the best manner.

hi,

if i were u, i will go talk to thy neighbour and help them get a contractor and repair the worn waterproofing. if they dont have the money then i'll will pay for them first.

if i can collect back repair cost from thy neighbour then ok for me else if they cant return it to me then i will forget it.

i think, after all, the cost of the repair, will be much most cheaper then getting a lawyer and still wont get the problem solve.

a happy neighbouring relationship is also a kind of happiness.  

best wishes

Originally posted by Living in Hell:

Our flat has been leaking through the master bathroom since early this year.  HDB has basically been ineffective in getting our neighbours to repair their worn waterproofing.

After writing numerous letters and personal visits to HDB's office together with our MPs letters, the problem remains unresolved.

With prolonged water seepage, now both bathrooms are leaking, ceilings are sagging and cracking, the master bedroom ceiling has turned mouldy and so is our dining room wall.  It is clearly a matter of time before our ceilings collapses on us.

Why is HDB allowing our neighbours to continue victimising us?  Their solution is for us to engage our own lawyer so that they may wash their hands off this 'difficult problem' when it is clearly within the HDB Act Cap 129 to act on errant lessees who continue to breach the conditions of the Lease Agreement.

Can someone help us because we are so depressed, feel so powerless and are living in hell?

 

its a hdb ruling that both parties have to share the cost of repairing.

i believe both parties cant refuse to co-operate.

Originally posted by BrUtUs:

complain to MP? time to make them do their job...

If you read carefully, there is letters from MP as well...

My friend's HDB flate also kana once. It's a very old estate. His neighbour downstairs complain his flat toilet area leaking water in the neighbour's toilet n kitchen.The neighbour had found a contractor, who claims is my friends piping leaking.

My friend got a private contractor to see the problem. The contractor say it's due to the construction of the piping. For some reason, the older piping runs across the floor before running downwards to other flats below, then to the ground level. So after many years, the piping starts to corrode/leak etc, the water will naturally fall onto the ceiling of the flat below. To rectify the issue, will need to change the whole piping of the entire block. The contractor is reluctant to just patch it up. And he asked my friend to contact HDB.

Meanwhile the neighbour downstairs had notify HDB. Even after countless calls, there are no replies from HDB. It had been almost 2 years.

cough....call Town Council......cough....

Originally posted by jojobeach:

Yes, you should hire a lawyer.. not to sue your neighbour.. but you need to sue the HDB for lack of due diligence as the lessor.

Ask to speak to the director or upper level managements. Keep escalating until you get the problem fixed.

 

Yep, that is the correct procedure for this kind of situations, especially if its not your upstair neighbours intentionally leaking the water down to your place.

If possible, discuss with your neighbour to contact a lawyer too, that is to help spare them and you the pain of having HDB pushing the responsibilities everywhere but themselves.

Check your home insurance plans too, though they protect fire then theft, there should be some clause for this kinda damages.

This has happened to my house before. except that my flat's floor was leaking and my neighbour's ceiling was leaking ( like yours). The neighbour sent a message to town council, not HDB, then they sent me a letter saying they need to fix it. The total cost was $400 so we split it in half and each pay $200

post pictures in stomp, make it a big news into newspaper, when that happens, you stay at home those MPs also run to your house with gifts and looking for ways to help you.

Originally posted by LifeIsBeautiful:

post pictures in stomp, make it a big news into newspaper, when that happens, you stay at home those MPs also run to your house with gifts and looking for ways to help you.

LOL..that's true..

that's whereby u will see them hurrying over & take almost immediate response to your problem..and will only back off when the media published news abt them solving your problem..

then again, is best to approach town council 1st..they will direct u to the relevant parties..

Originally posted by Living in Hell:

Our flat has been leaking through the master bathroom since early this year.  HDB has basically been ineffective in getting our neighbours to repair their worn waterproofing.

After writing numerous letters and personal visits to HDB's office together with our MPs letters, the problem remains unresolved.

With prolonged water seepage, now both bathrooms are leaking, ceilings are sagging and cracking, the master bedroom ceiling has turned mouldy and so is our dining room wall.  It is clearly a matter of time before our ceilings collapses on us.

Why is HDB allowing our neighbours to continue victimising us?  Their solution is for us to engage our own lawyer so that they may wash their hands off this 'difficult problem' when it is clearly within the HDB Act Cap 129 to act on errant lessees who continue to breach the conditions of the Lease Agreement.

Can someone help us because we are so depressed, feel so powerless and are living in hell?

 

maybe you can have a friendly word with your neighbour, and see if he's able to repair his water-proofing as soon as he can. show him photos of your mouldy ceilings, if necessary, to help him understand your situation better. but don't threaten him about lodging reports against him.

no one likes to be complained against from behind or threatened. and no one in his right mind would purposely want to create problems for others too.

a friendly and empathetic discussion would probably work things out faster. it also helps to maintain good neighbourliness.

this is clearly a town council problem, because it's due to wear and tear, not your neighbour's fault. your neighbour, like you, also needs to use toilet everyday. so don't blame your neighbour.

your town council should solve this problem for you, if words with your neighbour don't work out. it's their job.

It happened to my flat some 5 years ago too. My master bedroom and toilet's ceiling cracked until the steel reinforcement of the ceiling can be seen. The walls were also affected. Cracks here and there. Scary.... I also had to live with paint chippings dropping all over the floor and it just got worst and worst.

The Town Council was approached and they sent someone to check my ceiling. They later got a HDB engineer to check if the cracks were due to external wear and tear. Hiazzz... if a building is old, it's not necessary for the structure's wear and tear to be external, right? Usually it starts from the inside.

Anyway, HDB said they can repair and reinforce the ceiling but the cost has to be split between the tenants above my floor and myself. What to do...better to cough out the money than to live in fear of the ceiling caving in. By the way, my neighbour was not at all happy to have to pay.

have u tried talking to your neighbour ?

And with the recession, most neighbours you may find will not cough up any money.

Since it affects you at this point, no point hoping that neighbours will chip in to pay for the rework.

if they do, its a bonus.  But dont put your hopes too high.

Originally posted by Living in Hell:

Our flat has been leaking through the master bathroom since early this year.  HDB has basically been ineffective in getting our neighbours to repair their worn waterproofing.

After writing numerous letters and personal visits to HDB's office together with our MPs letters, the problem remains unresolved.

With prolonged water seepage, now both bathrooms are leaking, ceilings are sagging and cracking, the master bedroom ceiling has turned mouldy and so is our dining room wall.  It is clearly a matter of time before our ceilings collapses on us.

Why is HDB allowing our neighbours to continue victimising us?  Their solution is for us to engage our own lawyer so that they may wash their hands off this 'difficult problem' when it is clearly within the HDB Act Cap 129 to act on errant lessees who continue to breach the conditions of the Lease Agreement.

Can someone help us because we are so depressed, feel so powerless and are living in hell?

 

TS, it happened to my good friend.  she sought help for legal aid and fought the case and won.   you can consider doing the same.

I have very nasty neighbours too.    they love to give hell.