Mouldy walls, cracked ceilings: Yishun resident says HDB block looks like 'abandoned estate' after just 5 years

Looking at the cracked ceilings and mouldy walls of the exterior facade, it's hard to imagine that Anthony Lau's HDB block is only five years old.

But speaking to AsiaOne on Wednesday (March 22), the 38-year-old sales manager said that the state of his estate in Yishun street 43 is making him and the neighbours sad.

"Coming home everyday and looking at all the things that are falling apart… There's nothing being done about it," Lau said.

"And our estate was given an award after it was built."

Built in 2018, Lau's four-room HDB flat is part of the Meadow Spring @ Yishun Built-to-Order (BTO) project that recently reached its minimum occupation period (MOP) of five years.

In Dec 2020, BHCC Construction Pte Ltd, the contractor of Meadow Spring @ Yishun received the HDB Construction Award – the judges praising the project's "efficient construction methods and good management efforts". 

But the resident took to TikTok on Monday (March 20) to highlight the damage in his block - likening it to an "abandoned estate".

"It leaks everywhere, and I suspect there's a leak into my house already," Lau complained.

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@drivelala/video/7211146902648278273?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7171986325686912514[/embed]

In the comments, several netizens highlighted how there's been similar incidences of HDB blocks facing issues with wear and tear recently.

This includes those at Anchorvale Crescent in Sengkang and Matilda Court in Sumang Lane in Punggol. 

While Nee Soon Town Council has put up a sign notifying residents that repair works are in progress, Lau told AsiaOne that "nothing's been done" for more than a year.

The frustrated resident said: "I grew up in Yishun. I love my estate, but our neighbours and I feel that [we] are kind of forgotten [by the town council].

"We are not asking for the moon or stars, but there should be some concern for us."

AsiaOne has contacted Nee Soon Town Council for comment.

In January, a Sengkang resident told AsiaOne that the facade of her block and the others nearby are "always mouldy" - even though they had only recently hit its MOP of five years.

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".

The town council also told her she would have to wait two years before the blocks get a fresh coat of paint.

Responding to written parliamentary questions on rectification for HDB flats facing mould growth, National Development Minister Desmond Lee said on Feb 6 that HDB will be commissioning an independent study. 

The study, which is expected to take three to four months, will look at why some blocks are more prone to mould, what can be done to fix the situation and how to prevent a recurrence, the minister added.

"Nonetheless, HDB has assessed that the mould growth observed in affected blocks does not affect structural components and poses no risks to the structural integrity of the building."

chingshijie@asiaone.com