HDB lift installation costs should be shared

SINGAPORE - Late last month, I received a letter from the town council informing me of an increase in service and conservancy charges.

While the increase was not significant, I noticed that lift maintenance was cited as one of the reasons for raising the fee.

I live in one of the few Housing Board blocks deemed not suitable for lift installations.

The reason is that two lifts would effectively serve only eight units in my three-storey walk-up block, and the cost would exceed the budget of $30,000 per unit.

The residents were told it was not fair to transfer the higher cost of building lifts in our block to the residents in other blocks, as they would have to pay more than their share.

As some of my neighbours are aged above 70, they were offered the option of relocating to another block with lifts.

I wonder if blocks with many units would have larger budgets that can help defray the higher costs incurred in other blocks? Can such costs be shared on a town council level at least?

If HDB living is about the community and sharing of facilities, shouldn't the costs of lift installations be shared as well?

Marion Jean Phillips (Ms)

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