What happens after completion, when the owners get their money and have vacated the premises?
What happens when you don't have a management council anymore?
What happens when nobody gives a damn what happens to an enbloc'd estate?
A reader sent these photos in, of an estate that has gone enbloc. He stayed till the Date of Vacant Possession when he had to hand over the estate to the developers. In the period between completion and possession, owners have very little regard for the estate, and have begun to dump their things anywhere convenient, when they were clearing out. Not only that, the reader said that there's only a skeleton cleaning crew who is struggling to clean up the corridors, as well as the vacated units, in addition to their daily chores.
At the time when the photos were taken, the estate's still about 1/4 occupied but it looked like a wasteland. Literally.
Above: Notice of 80% achieved.
Above: Carpark lights increasingly left unreplaced.
Above: Corridor lights also left unreplaced. Oddly, the block with the SC chairman is very well maintained.
Sofa and abandoned junk left in stairwells. Complete disregard of fire safety hazards.
Above: Abandoned fishtanks. Potential mosquito breeding ground.
Above: More abandoned fishtanks, this time in the main entrance which still has plenty of thoroughfare.
Above: Abandoned in corridor.
Above: Sideways sofa left in stairwell.
Above: Basement of stairwell has become a dumping ground. There was a significant increase in mosquitoes and flies in the weeks preceding Possession.
Above: Unpainted exterior. "Out" is appropriate here.
Above: Reader's own recently renovated apartment, which is due to be torn down. A complete contrast to the rundown exterior and common spaces.
Above: Reader said he will miss his home sorely. "It isn't right, when our wonderful home gets torn down barely 4 years after its renovation."I have to agree with the reader here. These pictures put a stark face to the after effects of an enbloc sale, as well as the complete hypocrisy of tearing down what looks like a perfectly cosy home. Sorry, dear Reader, for your loss.
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8 comments:
I happen to be an owner of the highlighted development and my wife stayed in the development till the very last days before the handover. (I work overseas, hence am not able to confirm the condition personally)
Initially, I had similar reservations about safety and upkeep of the development but I keep in close contact with my wife during this period and would like to clarify that the estate was not as dirty as the pictures make it out to be.
We received help from the condominium guards to dispose of our unwanted items and there were also a big disposal bin located outside the estate to remove the junks.
Overall, I would say the MC did a reasonable job to ensure a minimum standard for the remaining residents.
the pictures do not seem to be doctored. with that level of rubbish in the corridors and staircases, i think pests like mozzies, cockroaches, ants, flies are bound to be present.
maybe the operative word here is "minimum".
Without looking at the actual terms of the sale, I can't comment on the stipulated standard that the sales committee might have agreed upon with the developer, in terms of level of maintenance.
However, if after completion and prior to vacant possession (ie when the estate legally belongs to the developer), owners are still required to pay maintenance fees, or such fees are still deducted monthly from the management funds at their regular charges, then the estate should NOT have deteriorated into this level of poor maintenance. If no such funds are used, then it is unfortunately the developer's prerogative (and subject to the SPA) on how well or bad the estate is to be kept. Ultimately, it is up to the SC to carefully define what should be the 'minimum' standards of upkeep.
Likewise, most MCs would have dissolved by completion if not before, and the estate may or may not be run by a managing agent, under employ/permission of the developer.
Irregardless of an en-bloc sale, this is a condo with people still living in it. Such living conditions as shown are deplorable if junk and abandoned items are left in common spaces. It should be the responsibility of owners, not guards, to dispose of items appropriately and not discarded as they wish.
I've verified the photographs' dates (via Exif data) and while they were not taken on the same day, they were taken during the month prior to vacant possession.
My relatives happened to stay in the said estate and we were over the estate during a period of two weeks to help them move out.
Unfortunately, the estate prior to the vacant possession was as dirty as the photos made it out to be! We were shocked by the state the estate has deteriorated into, which was previously a well-kept estate. There were also an increase in ants and mosquitoes. We really empathised with the handful of owners who were still there when my relatives finally moved out.
I am not sure where the first anonymous writer of 14 May 19:54 used to live prior to this estate but his standards of cleanliness is definitely a far cry from those of others. He said he works overseas, maybe in some developing country, then it would make sense why this level of "cleanliness" is acceptable to him.
There are some arrogant and vanity-like culprits here, who need to do some serious soul-searching for themselves and all those around them.
Enbloc could have sparked some tragic consequences if overdoing action is not under controlled.
Human-beings are undergoing heart-wrenching earth-quakes and lives lies in ruins in China.Yet some chose to loiter around to pick fights and always making sure they have the very last say. Those (having some sense) should be striving for closure to the infinitum "enbloc journal." Lets all play our part in giving "enbloc" a chance to RETREAT!
Its a small world, especially in Singapore where there are alot of mutual friends. All kinds of news regarding the dealings of enbloc sales is bound to spread.
I am a tenant in one of the units of Pender Court. We were all prepared to vacate by mid August, when we were told that the sale did not push through, but the owners got their 5% downpayment and can keep it. Sounds like a great thing right? It is! IF... the owners didn't buy property. However, a number of them bought property, and even2 with the downpayment, and are now struggling. Some even moved out already only to find out that they deal had fallen through. If they were smart enough, thy could have waited until the last last last day they were supposed to get the balance, and then get to buy a new place. Well, must be the kiasu mentality, because of this, now they have more money woes. They have to fix up the units, which although are huge, are very old. they are even trying to rent it out at 5k, which I believe, is too expensive, especially with the spoiled lifts and old fixtures. If the owners didn't buy a new place, I believe they would be in the best position now.
sjevcgTo 3floor no more,
You just have to take charge of your own responsibility for the bad choices 'you make.'
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