Sengkang resident says recently MOP-ed estate is 'always mouldy', likens it to haunted house

[UPDATE Jan 9] In a Facebook comment on Friday (Jan 6), Member of Parliament (MP) Jamus Lim expressed his disappointment with how the state of the block is "poor" and that it "does look older than it should".

Adding that he is not a building expert, the Sengkang GRC MP said that the choice of paint and the block's location - next to a river - may be contributing factors.

Lim said: "We're working out a plan to accelerate the repair and redecoration works for this cluster.

"We'll be keeping residents updated on the status in the meantime, and request their patience".

Speaking to AsiaOne on the same day, Chai shared that town council workers could be seen conducting maintenance works around her estate.

"First time ever in years," the grateful resident said. "Thank you, my voice have been heard."

When Jane Chai first moved into a four-room HDB flat in Sengkang six years ago, she was drawn to its peaceful environment and greenery nearby.

In an interview with AsiaOne on Friday (Jan 6), the 30-year-old mother of two shared that she is still in love with her home in Block 338B Anchorvale Crescent, but with just one major caveat.

The facade of her block and the others nearby have been "always mouldy" in the past three years, Chai complained.

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Describing how the walls and the floor outside her block are stained with algae and mould, the woman said: "The estate looks like a haunted house. It looks worse than a 30-year-old building".

Built in 2017, Chai's flat is part of the Anchorvale Parkview Built-to-Order (BTO) project that recently reached its minimum occupation period (MOP) of five years.

Complaints to town council 'fallen on deaf ears' 

Amidst health concerns, Chai told AsiaOne that she has contacted Sengkang Town Council to "do something" about the mould. 

But her efforts since November last year had "fallen on deaf ears", according to the frustrated woman.

Chai said: "The town council told me that they can't do anything, and asked me to wait for two more years for them to repaint the estate.

"I was speechless. They closed my feedback ticket by marking the issue as 'resolved', but there was no effort from the town council at all."

While she was disappointed in the lack of maintenance, Chai said that her family prefers to live in the flat for the "long term". 

Taking to Facebook on Thursday (Jan 5), Chai shared the woes about her mouldy block and echoed her frustrations with the town council.

While the post had gone viral with over 300 comments and 900 shares, the woman shared that she had done so "as a last resort".

"I love living here. Where can you find a place that has [so much greenery]? But the past two years have been super duper horrible," Chai said.

Cleans her home 16 hours every weekend

The mould and algae has been largely confined to the facade of her flat, but Chai shared that they have been appearing near the windows of her home.

The most pressing concern is protecting her five-year-old son, who has chronic hives, from being exposed to the dusty environment, according to the young mother.

Describing how she spends 16 hours just to clean her home every weekend, Chai said: "It's such a waste of time, when it can be spent with my kids.

"But in the end, my efforts are wasted when the exterior [of the flat] is so mouldy and full of algae."

AsiaOne has contacted Sengkang Town Council for comment.

ALSO READ: Singapore homeowner finds horrifying black patches on HDB flat walls before she even moves in

chingshijie@asiaone.com

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