Condo residents sick of litter thrown from upper floors

Extracted from ST Forum (http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum...ry_469954.html)

I REPRESENT a group of residents from Hougang's Regentville Condominium who live in ground-floor units with open-concept balcony or private enclosed space.
Over the past few years, we have been experiencing rubbish thrown from the upper-floor units into our enclosed spaces. These include used tissue paper, soiled sanitary pads and diapers and packets of food, half eaten.
What is more disturbing is the killer litter: Cleavers, hardcover story books, toys, wooden sticks and even a baby walker have actually landed in our spaces. Each time this happened, we sought the help of the security guards and complained to the condo's management agent (MA). The guards would issue verbal warnings to those who were caught red-handed, and that would be the end of it. No further action or deterrent measure has been taken to resolve the littering problem effectively.
When some ground-floor residents decided to build protective roofs over their spaces (within Urban Redevelopment Authority guidelines), they were asked by the MA to tear them down. Reasons for this included protecting the interests of the upper-floor residents, maintaining the estate's facade, privacy, security and value of the property.
The motion to build the roofs was defeated during the annual general meeting, too, simply because ground-floor residents were in the minority.
When our group approached our MP, we were told that he could not interfere unless officially invited by the estate's management council.
So it seems that our safety, and that of our families, now lies in the hands of upper-floor residents who lack civic sense. This should not be the case as our children and parents should be entitled to walk around our own private spaces free from the fear of being hit by something thrown from above.
Repeated calls for face-to-face discussions with the upper-floor residents to resolve the issue amicably have fallen on deaf ears.
I would like to know which authority would be in a position to help us.
Also, would the condo's management council be liable if someone is seriously injured or killed by killer litter?

Are you reposting the article or are you actually the guy who wrote in about Hougang Regentville? I can't believe someone actually wrote to the newspaper about the things happening in his condo. Silly.

Reposting of course...I don't stay there. I guess he is desperate and need advice after going to MP and his condo mgmt.

Well, if one choose to stay in a ground floor unit, you are at the mercy of your neighbour above you.

it seems living in HDB offer better protection from killer litters, at least u r protected by HDB/law... :scared-4:

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Originally Posted by echotrain

Are you reposting the article or are you actually the guy who wrote in about Hougang Regentville? I can't believe someone actually wrote to the newspaper about the things happening in his condo. Silly.

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I think the writer is also trying to reflect in general some of the bad experiences that residents on the ground floor are experiencing from inconsiderate higher floor neighbours. I see this in HDB as well where residents throw killer litters out of the window. This is quite a criminal offense as it endangers the life of kids and people who are passing by. I have also experienced litters and food thrown onto my car by these people, it is a behaviour which is ugly and socially unacceptable. Condo residents who stay at ground floor should not be at the mercy of neighbours above. There have the rights to voice out and safeguard the safety of their family. There should be regulations to punish these irresponsible people.

http://www.straitstimes.com/News/Hom...ry_473099.html

Jan 3, 2010

Rain of litter from condo upper floors

Ground-floor residents hit by litterbugs; checks show problem is common islandwide

By Terrence Voon

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIM...0103/a11-1.jpg
Mr Lim on his patio at the Regentville condominium, where litter - including toys, tissue paper, underwear and spit - has been raining down since he moved in early last month. He has spent $2,500 to build a roof over the patio but was recently asked by the estate's managing agent to take it down. -- ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN

When Mr Daniel Lim moved into his dream ground-floor condominium apartment at Regentville early last month, he looked forward to lounging on the open-air patio with a cup of tea.

Unfortunately, some of his neighbours had other ideas.

Toys, tissue paper, underwear and even spittle have rained down on his dream spot every other day.

Now the 42-year-old does not dare to set foot there any more.

'My mum was almost hit on the head by a toy rubber crocodile last month,' said the manager of a semiconductor firm. 'I bought a ground-floor unit so I can relax in the open with my family. You don't expect to get things landing on your head.'

Several other ground-floor residents at the five-tower Hougang condo have had similar experiences.

Items like chicken rice, a meat cleaver, glass panels and even a full-sized baby pram have been thrown down, turning their private enclosed areas into makeshift junkyards.

Their problem is not an isolated one.

A check with several condo management companies showed that they deal with at least a few such cases in estates across the island each year, with varying degrees of seriousness.

'Almost every estate I've worked with has experienced this problem,' said Mr Muhammad Hashim, 42, a property manager with Aspire Property Management. He has more than 20 years of experience in the industry .

'Many of these ground-floor residents live in fear of something dropping on their head every day.'

Mr Vijayen Nair, managing director of Philip Motha Property Management, sees about two to three incidents of high-rise littering each year in the 30 estates he manages.

'Some residents knowingly create a nuisance, especially if they are angry about something and need to vent their anger,' he said. 'There was once a fluorescent light tube that landed in a patio, which could have seriously hurt someone.'

While heavy-duty killer litter is few and far between, cigarette butts and tissue paper are the most commonly flung objects. According to Mr Chan Kok Hong, managing director of CKH Strata Management, the problem is an endemic one for ground-floor residents.

'If you bought a unit with a lovely ground-floor garden, you can expect things to rain on your parade,' said Mr Chan, whose company looks after 105 condominiums.

'A few weeks ago, I was told that a bamboo pole came down on someone's lawn. We told the culprit to stop and issued a warning.'

According to victims and condo managers, the litterbugs are usually children, new maids or even foreign tenants who may not understand the seriousness of their actions.

Some are simply individuals who may have acted rashly during a domestic dispute.

'We get culprits who are angry with their spouse and vent their anger by throwing things out of the window,' said Mr Nair. 'However, those who are repeat offenders usually have psychiatric disorders or anger management problems.'

When littering occurs, circulars or warning letters are usually handed out by the condo management, and witnesses are encouraged to come forward.

In some cases, security guards are told to make house calls to check on errant residents on higher floors.

'Our security team will conduct door-to-door investigations, and at the same time, appeal for residents to be considerate,' said a spokesman for Knight Frank Estate Management.

When killer litter is involved, residents are often advised to make a police report.

Under the law, those convicted of throwing killer litter may be fined up to $2,500 or jailed for up to six months, or both.

But the police are rarely called in as most residents are afraid that their property value may drop if word gets out.

'It's not worth it,' said a resident in an East Coast condominium who wanted to be known only as Tony. 'If we can settle it among ourselves, there's no need to involve the authorities.'

When high-rise littering occurs, victims usually turn to their management council to resolve the problem or counsel offenders.

Some frustrated home owners splurge on closed-circuit television cameras to catch litterbugs, while others install expensive awnings or shelters.

These protective roofs must conform to Urban Redevelopment Authority guidelines, which state that they must not project more than 2m from the external walls of the condo unit.

The roofs also need to be approved by the estate's management council.

At Regentville, the ground-floor residents have been unsuccessful in getting approval to build sunroofs over their patios.

The motion to do so was defeated during the annual general meeting because other residents felt that the shelters would affect the facade and security of the estate.

Residents who have built roofs have been asked by the estate's managing agent to tear them down.

In Mr Lim's case, he has been left in limbo because his $2,500 polycarbonate roof is only half completed.

'I just want to protect my family,' he said. 'Must they wait for a death to occur before something is done?'

[email protected]

Advice for SPs affected by high rise littering.

1. Join the Management Council (MC) during the coming AGM.
2. If there is no by-law relating to cleaning, to propose such a by-law - with admin fees.
3. To be advised - for those that are severely affected.

PS: I have a case of persistent littering from a high floor, and we subsequently obtained evidence, and impose admin fees to the unit.

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Originally Posted by Cactus72

Extracted from ST Forum (http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum...ry_469954.html)

I REPRESENT a group of residents from Hougang's Regentville Condominium who live in ground-floor units with open-concept balcony or private enclosed space.
Over the past few years, we have been experiencing rubbish thrown from the upper-floor units into our enclosed spaces. These include used tissue paper, soiled sanitary pads and diapers and packets of food, half eaten.
What is more disturbing is the killer litter: Cleavers, hardcover story books, toys, wooden sticks and even a baby walker have actually landed in our spaces. Each time this happened, we sought the help of the security guards and complained to the condo's management agent (MA). The guards would issue verbal warnings to those who were caught red-handed, and that would be the end of it. No further action or deterrent measure has been taken to resolve the littering problem effectively.
When some ground-floor residents decided to build protective roofs over their spaces (within Urban Redevelopment Authority guidelines), they were asked by the MA to tear them down. Reasons for this included protecting the interests of the upper-floor residents, maintaining the estate's facade, privacy, security and value of the property.
The motion to build the roofs was defeated during the annual general meeting, too, simply because ground-floor residents were in the minority.
When our group approached our MP, we were told that he could not interfere unless officially invited by the estate's management council.
So it seems that our safety, and that of our families, now lies in the hands of upper-floor residents who lack civic sense. This should not be the case as our children and parents should be entitled to walk around our own private spaces free from the fear of being hit by something thrown from above.
Repeated calls for face-to-face discussions with the upper-floor residents to resolve the issue amicably have fallen on deaf ears.
I would like to know which authority would be in a position to help us.
Also, would the condo's management council be liable if someone is seriously injured or killed by killer litter?

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