SINGAPORE: A now-viral TikTok video, with nearly 2 million views, features a woman, reportedly a property agent, confronting a group of tenants after allegedly discovering 12 people living in an HDB flat.

The woman, along with a person filming the scene, seemingly there for an inspection, is seen counting the tenants and questioning how many people are staying in the unit.

The one-minute clip, posted last Thursday (5 September) under the title “HDB unit being illegally sub-let,” captures the cameraman comparing the situation to “Crime Watch.”

The video alleges that 12 individuals are crammed into the flat, raising questions about whether this is allowed in Singapore.

While counting heads, the woman also inspects the rooms, revealing cramped conditions.

Clothes hang from window grilles, a thin mattress leans against the wall, and belongings are scattered across the floor.

At one point, the cameraman alerts her to someone in the toilet, visible as a shadow behind the door.

In the kitchen, she questions an occupant about a missing cabinet door, but he cannot provide a clear explanation.

In another room, visibly dissatisfied, the woman finds a dismantled bedframe propped against the wall and asks who is responsible for it.

Later, she sternly addresses some of the tenants, saying, “I give u one hour to pack your stuff, and get out of the place, if not I call the police.”

The video ends with a shot of a police car parked below the HDB block, but it doesn’t show or explain what happens next to the tenants or whether they were eventually evicted.

@homesinhd

Camera man feels like he is on Crime Watch. 12 pax squeeze in one flat in Singapore is crazy!! SG can meh? #realestate #realestatesingapore #singapore #crimewatch #police #exposed #caughtoncamera

♬ MILLION DOLLAR BABY (VHS) – Tommy Richman

In the comment section, some commended the property agent for taking responsibility by conducting spot checks to ensure tenants complied with HDB regulations.

However, others felt that the one-hour eviction notice could be too harsh for the tenants.

Several commenters speculated that the tenants, who appeared to be migrant workers, were likely unaware of the illegal subletting arrangement.

They may have paid rent, only to come home after a long day of work to find themselves being evicted.

In response to a netizen’s question about the illegal subletting, the admin of the TikTok account clarified that there were unauthorized tenants staying in the unit who were not registered with HDB.

The admin also mentioned that only six people are allowed to stay in four-room or larger flats, but some commenters corrected this information, noting that the maximum occupancy had been revised to eight.

Indeed, a joint press release in December 2023 announced that the occupancy limit had been increased from six to eight persons for three years, from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026.

This revised cap applies to four-room or larger HDB flats, including living quarters within HDB commercial properties that are comparable in size to a four-room flat.

The measure is intended to ease rental pressure, driven by the sharp rise in residential rents due to COVID-19 disruptions and increased rental demand.

However, authorities have also warned that they will strictly enforce the occupancy cap and may revoke rental approvals for homeowners who violate these regulations.

2019 Report Reveals Four-Room HDB Flat Housing 24 Tenants

In 2019, a report emerged alleging that a four-room HDB flat was housing 24 tenants, four times the maximum allowed by HDB.

The flat contained three double-decker bunk beds crammed into each bedroom, accommodating at least 18 people across the three rooms. One bedroom alone had eight occupants, and the living room was illegally partitioned into two additional rooms, rented to two couples, bringing the total to 24 tenants.

SINGAPORE: The Gaia building at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU), which opened in May 2023 as Asia’s largest wooden structure, was initially celebrated for its sustainable design and architectural beauty.

However, just over a year later, the S$125 million (US$95.5 million) timber building is facing an unexpected challenge: mould growth.

The 450,000-square-foot Gaia building, constructed with sustainable timber beams and panels, has developed mould on its walls, raising concerns about the suitability of timber for large-scale construction in tropical climates like Singapore’s.

The mould issue highlights the global challenges that timber structures can face, especially in environments with high humidity.

According to Bloomberg, the mould problem at Gaia underscores the difficulties that timber buildings encounter worldwide.

The Gaia building’s timber supplier claims that the structure sequesters over 5,000 tons of CO2, even when accounting for shipping, as trees absorb carbon dioxide during growth.

However, Singapore’s tropical climate, with its high humidity and frequent rainfall, has revealed the limitations of using timber in such environments.

The wood used in Gaia, primarily Austrian spruce processed into mass-engineered timber, is less resistant to mould compared to other species.

In Singapore’s humid conditions, untreated spruce is particularly vulnerable to mould and rot, according to Andrew Wong of the International Wood Culture Society.

Erik L’Heureux, an associate professor of architecture at the National University of Singapore, emphasized that different climates present unique challenges for timber construction.

He noted that in tropical regions, special care is required to prevent issues like mould, while in other climates, such as deserts or freezing environments, timber faces other risks like cracking and splitting.

Singapore has used mass-engineered timber in over 20 projects in the past decade, but it remains unclear if other buildings are experiencing similar issues.

In contrast, Singapore’s colonial shophouses, built with regionally native hardwoods, are naturally resistant to mould.

However, sourcing these traditional hardwoods today is both difficult and costly.

Loh Kee Soon, the lead architect for Gaia at RSP Architects Planners & Engineers, explained that while thicker protective coatings could have mitigated some of the mould issues, his team opted against it due to cost concerns and a desire to showcase the natural wood grain.

Despite its aesthetic appeal, the presence of mould has raised health concerns among staff and students.

While the mould is not expected to affect the building’s structural integrity, NTU has implemented a comprehensive maintenance plan, which includes reapplying sealant to the timber, adjusting air-conditioning settings, and instructing staff to keep windows closed to reduce condensation.

Experts also recommend treating surfaces with bleach, applying thicker coatings, installing dehumidifiers, and running the air-conditioning continuously, although these measures could undermine the building’s sustainability.

Netizens question sustainability of NTU’s Gaia building amid mould concerns

Under Mothership’s Facebook post, netizens have expressed various concerns regarding the mould issue at Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) Gaia building.

One user questioned whether continuing to use the building is worth it, given the upcoming maintenance and potential health risks to staff and students.

They suggested that if maintenance is not feasible, it might be better to endure a one-time inconvenience of demolition rather than face ongoing issues.

One commenter questioned the logic of using wood in Singapore’s hot and humid climate, suggesting that protective coatings should have been applied to prevent mould.

They pointed out that NTU should have had the resources to implement such measures.

Another netizen proposed that demolishing the building and replacing it with a concrete structure might be a better long-term solution than continually dealing with mould.

Netizens raise concerns over material choices for NTU’s Gaia building

Several netizens focused on the choice of wood for the building, criticizing the decision to use Austrian spruce instead of locally sourced tropical wood that is more resistant to humidity.

One commenter pointed out that using wood from Austria hardly seems sustainable or environmentally friendly when considering the carbon footprint.

Another suggested that the building should have used hardwoods like teak, ebony, or mahogany, which are more resistant to termites and mould.

Further criticism focused on the project’s planning, with some questioning why wood from a cool climate was used in Singapore’s tropical environment.

They speculated that the original committee might have prioritized reducing construction costs, leaving the current management to deal with the consequences.

One commenter expressed disbelief that the project proceeded with wood susceptible to mould, despite the availability of more suitable materials like teak and cedar.

They criticized the $125 million price tag, suggesting it reflects a “lowest cost wins” mentality that overlooks potential long-term costs.

One netizen also raised doubts about the building’s sustainability, questioning whether the cost of treating and preventing mould might become exorbitant over time and ultimately undermine the building’s sustainability claims.

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