Can I claim loss of rental income caused by the leak?
You can claim it, but you must prove it. In one reported case the Strata Titles Board rejected a rental-loss claim because the tenancy agreements were unstamped and therefore inadmissible, because there was no evidence the tenant left due to the leak, and because the owner below had refused the upper owner access to repair. The High Court later refused an extension of time to appeal. Keep stamped documents and allow access.
From the RRD Field Guide, checked against the sources cited in Water Seeping From the Unit Above: Inter-Floor Leaks in Singapore Condos, the Law, Testing and Who Pays. General information, not advice for your project.
The fuller picture
In a Singapore strata development, dampness on your ceiling is presumed, unless proven otherwise, to come from a defect in the unit or common property directly above (s 101(8) of the Building (Strata Management) Act). Both owners should investigate jointly, usually with a ponding test, and agree repairs and costs. If they cannot, either can apply to the Strata Titles Boards.
More questions on this topic
- Is the owner above automatically liable for a leak into my ceiling?
- Does the MCST have to fix a leak between two units?
- How much does it cost to apply to the Strata Titles Boards?
- What is a ponding test?
- My neighbour above refuses to let anyone in. What can I do?
- How is it handled in HDB flats?
- Will thermal imaging prove where the leak comes from?