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AsiaOne
2 days ago
- General
- AsiaOne
Falling concrete in flats: Who is responsible for maintenance — town council, HDB, or homeowner?, Singapore News
Recently, there were two instances of concrete blocks falling from ceiling of HDB units. FM Love 972 radio DJ Ho Ai Ling narrowly avoided injury on June 22 when a chunk of concrete fell from the toilet ceiling in her flat at Block 81 Commonwealth Close in Queenstown. Ho moved into her 58-year-old flat 14 years ago. Earlier, an elderly man was struck by falling spalling concrete from the ceiling of his toilet in his Yishun HDB flat on the morning of June 19, sustaining injuries to both his leg and head, requiring more than 10 stitches. The flat was completed 41 years ago. While his family received assistance from Nee Soon GRC MP K Shanmugam with payment for repairs, where exactly does the buck stop when it comes to responsibility for spalling concrete in HDB homes? Is it the owner, HDB, or the town council? Owner's responsibility: HDB HDB has said that spalling concrete is a common issue for older buildings, exacerbated by damp conditions such as those in kitchens or toilets. It occurs when concrete breaks away from a surface due to numerous factors, such as moisture build-up or corrosion of metal reinforcement within the concrete. "As the owner, you are responsible for the prevention and repair of any spalling concrete in your flat," according to HDB, adding that spalling concrete within HDB flats can be prevented with regular maintenance. It has advised homeowners to repair spalling concrete themselves if the affected area is small, or engage a contractor for larger areas before more concrete dislodges and causes injury. [[nid:719319]] If left unattended, concrete spalling can spread to a bigger area and weaken the building structure, HDB stated. It also has multiple inspection regimes in place to detect issues such as spalling concrete, according to response by the Ministry of National Development (MND) to a Parliamentary question by Joan Pereira on Oct 20, 2022. Under the periodic structural inspection regime, inspections must be conducted for all residential buildings every 10 years to ensure that building structures are well maintained. For flats completed before Jan 1, 1989, HDB conducts additional inspections at five-year intervals. Periodic façade inspections are also conducted for buildings above 20 years old and more than 13m in height every seven years. The goodwill repair assistance (GRA) scheme also allows HDB to provide aid to flat owners to repair spalling concrete issues. Under the scheme, HDB co-pays 50 per cent of the cost of repairs, up to $300 per flat. For rental flats, HDB bears the full cost for the repair of spalling concrete. HDB's home improvement programme (HIP) for blocks built up to 1997 also repairs spalling concrete and structural cracks in flats. Town council responsible for common property While many residents may contact their town councils for assistance when they spot spalling or cracked concrete in their homes, the town councils' involvement in resolving the issue should be minimal. According to a response by MND to a parliamentary question by Christopher de Souza on Aug 7, 2024, town councils are responsible for maintaining the common property. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AsiaOne (@asiaonecom) This means that the maintaining the interior of flats and necessary repair works are not their responsibility. Instead, should flat owners encounter issues with their main soil pipe or exterior and façade walls, the town council can assist. "Minor wall cracks inside flats do not affect the structural integrity and safety of the building," MND stated. "Flat owners can patch up and repaint their walls. For exterior and facade walls, the town councils carries out inspections and upkeep of these walls." HDB also follows-up with regular inspections and will immediately repair if the crack could potentially compromise the structural integrity of the building, they added. Homeowners and their responsibility Speaking with AsiaOne, PKWA Law associate director Mark Cheng said that in most interior spalling cases, HDB's stance that the homeowner is responsible is legally sound. "Flat owners are responsible for maintaining their interiors, but in certain cases, they may be eligible to apply for co-payment from the HDB," Cheng said. Town councils handle common property such as external facades and roofs and would not be responsible for internal spalling, he stated. Cheng said that town councils may investigate and get involved if spalling debris originates from facades or falls onto void decks, corridors or exteriors. But homeowners aren't always liable for concrete spalling. In instances of spalling caused by leakage upstairs, HDB can mediate or enforce repairs, or even take legal action should the person in the unit above refuse access for necessary repairs, Cheng explained. "In addition, the homeowner might not have to pay for repairs if the spalling falls within upgrading schemes such as the HIP, or occurs during the defects liability period for new builds." "Knowing when liability shifts is key," he added. "With the assistance of a lawyer, homeowners can be better advised on their rights, in order to trigger the correct government funding for repairs, or seek redress if coverage is wrongly denied." [[nid:719492]] khooyihang@
AsiaOne
3 days ago
- General
- AsiaOne
Toilet ceiling in Queenstown flat collapses as woman showers, Singapore News
A woman narrowly avoided injury last Sunday when a chunk of concrete fell from the toilet ceiling in her flat at Block 81 Commonwealth Close in Queenstown. After reading a report about spalling concrete last week, Ho Ai Ling, 52, began keeping a close watch on a crack in her toilet ceiling and avoided standing directly beneath while showering. She told Lianhe Zaobao that she escaped injury as she was standing close to the wall when the concrete collapsed. "I read a report on Saturday about a home in Yishun where the ceiling collapsed and the man had to get more than 10 stitches on his head. I reminded myself and my roommates to be careful, and it saved my life the next day." The livestreamer and actress added that she was fortunate the ceiling fan was off, as falling debris could have struck the blades and caused a more serious incident. The flat was built in 1967 and is 58 years old. Since moving in 14 years ago, she has repeatedly dealt with cracks and peeling paint on the toilet ceiling, she said. On June 18, she called the Housing Development Board (HDB) after discovering that the toilet ceiling had bulged again. However, before an inspection could take place, the ceiling collapsed. Ho said that HDB had helped to repair the toilet ceiling in 2012, and she has repaired it herself many times since then. She also installed a ceiling fan to keep the toilet dry, but it did not have the intended effect. "I saw that the bulging was serious and I couldn't fix it myself anymore, so I contacted HDB." During a call with HDB last week, the agency agreed to bear half of her repair costs under the Goodwill Repair Assistance Scheme, said Ho. "After the concrete collapsed, the authorities said they would come back on July 3 to see if there were any other parts of the ceiling that needed repair too." Chairman of the Institute of Engineers Singapore (IES) civil and structural technical committee David Ng, told the Chinese daily that such repairs are complex and should be handled by professionals. He added that the homeowner's repair work may provide temporary relief, but if the real cause of the peeling is not found, the problem may persist. Residents can regularly check the ceiling surface for signs of damage, and take waterproofing measures such as applying waterproof paint or sealants. Keeping the toilet well-ventilated can also help prevent damage to the ceiling, he added. According to the HDB website, homeowners are responsible for preventing and repairing cement spalling in their homes. However, if the affected area is large, a contractor should be hired to repair it as soon as possible. [[nid:719319]] This article was first published in The New Paper . Permission required for reproduction.
New Paper
3 days ago
- General
- New Paper
Toilet ceiling in Queenstown flat collapses as woman showers
A woman narrowly avoided injury last Sunday when a chunk of concrete fell from the toilet ceiling in her flat at Block 81 Commonwealth Close in Queenstown. After reading a report about spalling concrete last week, Ms Ho Ai Ling, 52, began keeping a close watch on a crack in her toilet ceiling and avoided standing directly beneath while showering. She told Lianhe Zaobao that she escaped injury as she was standing close to the wall when the concrete collapsed. "I read a report on Saturday about a home in Yishun where the ceiling collapsed and the man had to get more than 10 stitches on his head. I reminded myself and my roommates to be careful, and it saved my life the next day." The livestreamer and actress added that she was fortunate the ceiling fan was off, as falling debris could have struck the blades and caused a more serious incident. The flat was built in 1967 and is 58 years old. Since moving in 14 years ago, she has repeatedly dealt with cracks and peeling paint on the toilet ceiling, she said. On June 18, she called the Housing Development Board (HDB) after discovering that the toilet ceiling had bulged again. The ceiling had clear signs of damage before part of it collapsed. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO However, before an inspection could take place, the ceiling collapsed. Ms Ho said that HDB had helped to repair the toilet ceiling in 2012, and she has repaired it herself many times since then. She also installed a ceiling fan to keep the toilet dry, but it did not have the intended effect. "I saw that the bulging was serious and I couldn't fix it myself anymore, so I contacted HDB." During a call with HDB last week, the agency agreed to bear half of her repair costs under the Goodwill Repair Assistance Scheme, said Ms Ho. "After the concrete collapsed, the authorities said they would come back on July 3 to see if there were any other parts of the ceiling that needed repair too." Chairman of the Institute of Engineers Singapore (IES) civil and structural technical committee David Ng, told the Chinese daily that such repairs are complex and should be handled by professionals. He added that the homeowner's repair work may provide temporary relief, but if the real cause of the peeling is not found, the problem may persist. Residents can regularly check the ceiling surface for signs of damage, and take waterproofing measures such as applying waterproof paint or sealants. Keeping the toilet well-ventilated can also help prevent damage to the ceiling, he added. According to the HDB website, homeowners are responsible for preventing and repairing cement spalling in their homes. However, if the affected area is large, a contractor should be hired to repair it as soon as possible.
