SINGAPORE: Fed up with the relentless noise from his upstairs neighbour, a frustrated resident turned to an online forum seeking advice on how to handle the ongoing disturbance.
“What do you do if you are constantly harassed by an upstairs neighbour?” this was the pressing question an online user asked Singaporeans on Sunday (March 30). “I’ve been dealing with excessive noise from my upstairs neighbour for a while now, and it’s getting worse,” he said.
The resident claimed that he had previously reported the neighbours to the HDB as they would wake up from their sleep because of their neighbours who would allegedly disturb the peace early in the morning and even at midnight at times.
“They would drop metal laundry poles and stomp heavily, making it impossible to rest,” the writer said. After reporting his neighbours, he claimed the disturbances became intentional. “Now, sudden loud noises happen at 3 to 5 a.m. as if they’re trying to wake us up,” he added. “By 6 to 7 a.m., they’re active again—dropping poles and stomping loudly. We barely get a few hours of rest. One night, I called the police, but the noise stopped when they arrived and resumed after they left. They deny everything when confronted.”
Unsure of effectively handling the situation, the resident turned to Singaporeans for advice.
Many commenters empathised with the writer, with a handful saying they, too, have the same issues with their neighbours. “I feel bad for you,” said one. “Also went through something similar. Upstairs tenants were malicious and were using some kind of speaker that conducted sound through the walls to blast music and vibrations day and night. Things got so bad that the neighbours two floors below us could hear them. We eventually banded together and went after the landlord. Those goons finally moved out after one year. Hope you find a resolution soon!”
While one suggested that the resident try turning off the neighbour’s power and water to get back at them, another suggested taking a different approach. “Probably pay a visit but be nice, not an angry confrontation and explain the situation nicely,” the comment read. “After all, being neighbours is sort of a fate by itself. What I learned is to be nice to others first, and if one time isn’t enough, do it many times.”
For managing neighbourhood disputes, HDB recommends trying to solve disputes in a calm, polite way, as most issues can be addressed in a friendly manner. Another option is mediation, wherein a trained third party who will remain neutral will work to facilitate talks between neighbours in dispute until they reach an agreement. If mediation does not work, another option is to approach the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal (CDRT). CDRTs are a last-resort option for conflict resolution.
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Featured image by Depositphotos/tang90246 (for illustration purposes only)