Letter to TOC: by Phillip Ang
From: phillip ang Date: Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 9:19 PM
Subject: Town Councils – irresponsible to continue ignoring corridor clutter 20100208
To: mailto: mah_bow_tan@mnd.gov.sg
Cc: lchertan@singnet.com.sg, Rosita_chow@prpg-tc.org.sg, news@newstoday.com.sg, stlocal@sph.com.sg, Teo_Ser_Luck@prpg-grc.sg, theonlinecitizen@gmail.com
Dear Minister Mah
Re: Town Councils irresponsible to continue ignoring corridor clutter
(Please read the feedback in the Forum page of The Straits Times, “All but the kitchen sink” (Feb 6).
I refer to my previous email which I had highlighted neglect by TCs on our common areas in HDB estates
2 I have lived in Pasir Ris for 10 years. Although TC Property Officers are out in the estate daily, they are indifferent to corridor clutter. Most of these objects have been placed along corridors for years, some since 10 years ago. (attitudes of POs must be similar in all HDB estates as no GM of any TCs able to claim otherwise)
3 If my TC were serious, thousands of warning letters would need to be written. Its reluctance is therefore understandable. But should TCs be allowed to continue its neglect?
4 For decades, the relevant authorities have not been able to convince tens of thousands of inconsiderate HDB residents not to treat the corridor as a storeroom or laundry room. Year after year, corridor clutter has continued to contribute to fire statistics. Its a huge waste of resources to deploy the SCDF in such cases.
5 As professional estate managers, TCs have never been , and will likely never be, held responsible despite the fact that they are aware but have chosen not to take action. Blame is, as usual, heaped on residents.
6 The incredible number of objects invisible to TC POs for years speaks volume of the indifference of TCs. Again I offer the example of Senior PO, Mr Yong, who is in charge of my block and other nearby blocks.
I have taken the trouble to include some photos which I hope will convince the MND the need to change TCs’ irresponsible behavior.
These are just some of the objects invisible to Mr Yong.
a Thousands of corridors have been turned into personal laundry rooms which are potential fire hazards.
b thousands have been converted to storerooms
c many are a combination of both
7 Corridor clutter forms part of the 644 cases of fire in common areas in 2009. Is it possible that all the members of the Estates Committee have been sleeping on the job?
Suggestions
a Property Officers be required to inspect corridors on a regular basis.
b Managers should conduct random checks on their subordinates as well as familiarise themselves with their respective estates.
c Action must be taken on recalcitrant residents after ample warnings have been given.
Conclusion
TCs have to acknowledge this problem and not allow it to fester any longer. Common areas are not to be treated as storerooms or laundry rooms. Silence from the estate manager means consent to convert common areas into personal ones. Which is what tens of thousands of residents have done.
The dilemma as to which objects are to be allowed along common corridors needs an answer, not procrastination.
Unlike private estate managers, no one seems to be accountable in this case.
Thank you.
Regards
Phillip Ang
PS
I am afraid it is simply not possible to give feedback to an officer who did not take my feedback seriously.
TCs have contributed to many problems because of a totally HANDS-OFF approach by Property Officers. Are by laws only for knowledge?
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
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I don’t know why Town Councils and HDB are not much more stricter.
Town Councils are too busy making money from renting out empty plots of land for pasar malam, funfair, etc.
Can we have some designated upload area for pictures or videos of dirty HDB areas, lift frequently under maintenance, bird noise and mosquito infestation ?
Taken from a differenet perspective…the display of laundry (most common along corridors) is a coping skill adopted by flats with not enough sun-exposure for drying clothes – the suffocating packing of high-rise by HDB, to max-out plot ratio is the real culprit.
Logically, nobody would want to air their underwea r for public glory?
As for planters – the claustophobic concrete blocks need a psychological relief through corridor greening. Again, would HDB even consider a balcony for everyone, including the smallest two-roomers, as a neccesary complement for quality living?
I totally agree that Town Concil and HDB are not doing enough to stop residents from claiming the common corridor as their own. If the resident is considerate enough, we would not need the relavant authorities to step in and take actions against these errant HDB dwellers.
My new neighbour who just move in claimed the corridor as their own. This corridor is the only walkway that we must take to reach our homes / doorsteps, but now it is occupied by BIG POTS of plants that overgrows the whole walkway. It is impossible to walk pass without having all the plants in my face.
Also, there is another worry of breeding mosqitos. With Dengue Fever on the rise, it is a big concern with parents who just had kids or babies.
I hope the Town Concil would take very strict action against these errant home owners and see to it that they remove all the plants from the common walkway immediately. I certainly hope my town concil, Sembawang town concil would do something soon about my block751 in woodlands circles soon..
Everyday is a nightmare especially when you have neighbours that does not heed your kind advice to remove their stuff from the walkway.
Well I had a incident recently as well, our corridor was clutter free and we all were living in a happy level till a new family moved in, Happily placed their laundry rack and wet laundry was dripping on the corridor, they moved in thinking that they own the corridor, placing a dustbin as well, Shoe racks and plants *single row and neat* I would understand but laundry and dustbin? come on !! the walkway is not yours !
@Stanly: I understand your problem but I would rather face plants if its not like a jungle rather than dripping wet laundry on the corridor!
Doing my part to keep this thread alive. Yes ,same concern here regarding corridor clutter.Its due time some form of law is set.In my neighbourhood, i even saw owner who lay carpet ( Not floor mat!) on certain corridor corner like a landed property. Worse its laid near gas/water meter door. Just imagine someone throw a litted cigarette and carpet catch fire!And also walking near it, judging by the layers of dust, obviously the corner has not been washed for months or maybe years by TC ( not to blame the cleaners, they are just doing their job not to touch owners stuff). I feel government can designated a small plot of area for every household to keep some small potted plants just to be fair to home owners who maintain plants for many years. other than that no excuse to put other thing outside their home.I will be doing some phototaking aroud my neighbourhood and update the relevant authorities about the situation, hope everyone here can also do something about it. As HDB home owners paying conservancy fee, we deserve no less than condo owners to have a proper environment for our families. In fact i personally have even try to resolve some corridor issues with my immediate neighbours in a friendly way, they are not happy, i can understand, nobody like to be told they are inconsiderate. Different ppl have different level of acceptance when it comes to common areas. In fact confronting neighbour sometime leads to a tit-for-tat war that never ends, and if involve different racial group, racial disharmony occurred
Why not we can form a watch group, update each other on the situation in their neighbourhood and post here with pics and suggestion to create a larger awareness for the authorities to consider
seriously?
I am facing the same problem here too, my neighour hangs clothing, even bra & underwear along the hdb common corridor. Will it work if i complaint to TC? Else who can i conmplaint to? Plse help…
Hi lth , i really understand your frustration. think many hdb owners are facing this problem for many many years, and many many more who choose to accept it cause they may have report to authorities but didnt solve the problem once and for all.
I currently have a neighbour who is pushing his limit for years even though i have try talking to them before.My conclusion is that problem can only be solve from top level down not the other way.
I am planning to collect emails of picture and stories of victims like u and me , do a thorough report of the seriousness of this issue and bring it to the top ( HDB, Civil defence, MP, Media etc)and hopefully a strict law is establish and swift action taken by government like the way littering campaign is going on currently. Thats the only way to go.
To all readers here, pls show me ur support but taking pictures of corridor clutter of various scenerios, tell me your story, and perhap offer a suggestion that can be implemented to support the case by either post it here, or email to me at tank783@gmail.com
Cheers everyone
So any reply from the official? I guess the answer is no. I’ve just written to my town council, hoping that they will resolve the issue that i have.
My neighbour placed her shoes rack beside my door. The stench that i have to endure every time i go in and our of my door is a truly unpleasant experience for me. Really hope that town council can do something and what Phillip has suggested is wonderful.
I give up. Just sold my house….
Hi lth, hoped your decision to move out did not solely due to neighbour. It cross my mind too but I needed more reason to do so.its just not worth to do that just because of inconsiderate neighbour as moving to a new place does not guarentee good neighbours there. But on a brighter note, selling during boom property market now is definitely good though lol and i am sure you will be wiser in choosing your new home in regards to corridor position and existing neighbours condition.
Well, i have been thinking of selling my house since early this year, but just can’t bear to sell as it was my first house. But few months ago after this inconsiderate neighour has moved in, i just can’t stand it anymore longer. Everyday seeing the panties hanging there when even i walk pass the corridor. So sick & it give me the push factor to sell my house.
I also want to sell my place now but i am afriad that no one will be interested if they see the shoes rack beside my door. I wonder why can the shoes rack be placed nearer to their door instead of mine?
After reading a few forums, i think nothing much can be done. We can only endure and suffer in silence till we get depressed. The thought of smelling their stinky shoe everyday makes me feel so depressed. sigh…. I will be happier if the shoe rack is placed nearer to their house.. (just 10 cm away from my door will do.. just 10cm pls…..)
Yes I think we should get TC & HDB to get things into the right perspective !!
How can TC & HDB just condone and simply ignore the fact that the common corridor is for public walkway and not for the convenience of inconsiderate residents to hang their laundry and put their unwanted things.
I fully agree wiht lbl that we are the ones whom are suffering due to this and things will forever wont change if nothing is done by the authorities. Even if you sell your flat now, you may still face with the same type of neighbours in future.
Therefore, there should be a public forum to post all the pictures and videos and even better the press are involved.
I have this neigbhour that is collecting rubbish, carton boxes and now their home is just like a rubbish trading centre every now and then.
Had anybody taught of taking legal action against the property owner (HDB) for neglecting to enforce the common corridor by law such that it had causes you much stress and unhappiness?
You should post the name of your TC.
is it alight to have bicycles park in the corridor, with an excuse of they are going to use in later in the day?
So many clothes out drying.. Have u ever thought about the number of human being cramped inside? Hard to get and expensive hdb flats.. Whose fault? Now point here point there.. Ever point yourself or not?