Oral Answer by Ministry of National Development on how the Ministry can support Town Councils to help residents with water seepages and wear and tear problems at common areas of HDB estates

Feb 2, 2021

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for National Development how can the Ministry support Town Councils to help residents with water seepages and wear and tear problems at common areas of HDB estates.

Answer:

The external walls of HDB flats are common property under the Town Councils’ (TCs) management and maintenance. TCs are responsible for keeping common property, including external walls, in good condition by carrying out regular and cyclical maintenance.

Residents who encounter water seepage from external walls in their flat typically report it to the TC managing their estate. For difficult cases, HDB will work with TCs to resolve the seepage issue. For example, there may be cases where TCs have carried out repairs but the water seepage issue persists despite the TC’s efforts. 
In such cases, HDB can assist the TC by carrying out joint inspections and providing technical advice to the TC on appropriate repair methods. 

In addition, to support TCs in carrying out their maintenance work, HDB has been providing training to TC maintenance staff on the repairs of water seepage from external walls. There are also regular dialogues between HDB and Town Councils to discuss and resolve issues relating to estate maintenance.