My neighbour above refuses to let anyone in. What can I do?
Ask the MCST or managing agent to write to the owner above requesting a joint inspection, and keep copies. If access is still refused, you can apply to the Strata Titles Boards. In those proceedings, the s 101(8) presumption works in your favour if your ceiling shows dampness, so the burden shifts to the owner above to show the defect is not in their unit.
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?
- Can I claim loss of rental income caused by the leak?
- How is it handled in HDB flats?
- Will thermal imaging prove where the leak comes from?