Bishan resident goes for last resort against neighbour cluttering common spaces for years
Clutter has been obstructing the common spaces of Block 140 Bishan Street 12 for years – and one resident has had enough.
Stomper Arvind shared a report he sent to Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council on Nov 9, along with photos showing numerous items occupying the corridor and lift lobby.
He wrote: "For many years, we have been receiving complaints from our visitors and family regarding the shared public corridor space. As you can see from the photos, all this mess has been blocking and obstructing the pathway for residents on this level."
According to Arvind, there is "no moving space available" in the event of medical emergencies where "a stretcher bed has to be moved in to carry out an injured casualty" or should a fire break out and evacuation is required.
"All these pots, plants, wet clothes and old bicycles are fire hazards, blocking the whole corridor and any escape route," he added.
"Please do something about this to remove everything obstructing and blocking our shared living space."
After being prompted for an update, the town council informed Arvind on Nov 14 that it had visited the site and issued a "Notice of Irregularities (NOI)".
The town council also said it had updated the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) "accordingly", in the email seen by Stomp.
Arvind replied to the email on Nov 16: "The neighbours have not cleared the area or do anything about the hazardous situation.
"My mother has tripped and fell twice because of this. They even threw their shoes all over the corridor, which made me trip and fall once.
"I am also worried about an outbreak of fire, as their house is fully hoarded with things both inside and outside.
"NOI is not sufficient, and I want the town council to take immediate action as this has been ongoing for many years now. We have told them multiple times politely, but they have never bothered and told us to proceed with the complaint."
Arvind once again pleaded for something to be done immediately. He told the town council: "If no action is taken, I will further escalate this issue and bring it to the media's attention."
On Nov 18, the town council responded: "We will carry out advisory to the unit as per our standard operating procedures. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to resolve this matter."
Frustrated by the lack of improvement and updates, Arvind made good his word: He escalated by sending the entire email thread to various parties, including Stomp.
He told Stomp in December: "The town council did not take any action. The area still looks hazardous as before."
Stomp has contacted Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council for more info.
View more photos in the gallery.
