Ang Mo Kio family endures leaky ceiling for 3 years despite numerous repairs

When it rains, it pours.

For one long-suffering family in Ang Mo Kio, what started out as a ceiling leak in their kitchen soon took over the rest of their home.

Three years and numerous repairs later, the ceiling leaks in their four-room flat are still a problem, Lianhe Wanbao said in a report on Thursday (Oct 1) detailing their plight.

The family of six has been staying in the flat at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 for about 19 years, the patriarch of the family, a 55-year-old deliveryman, told the Chinese evening daily.

The leakage problems in the flat, which is on the topmost floor of the block, started three years ago, he recalled.

"First, it was the kitchen ceiling that started leaking. When we discovered the leak, we notified HDB and the town council and they quickly sent people to fix the ceiling leak."

But mere months after the initial repairs, the leaking started again — this time in their living room.

Despite six rounds of repairs, the leaks have not stopped, the homeowner said.

"This year in July, [the town council] fixed the ceiling leak in the living room. But it wasn't even two months later that the area in front of our altar, as well as our storeroom and kitchen, started leaking again."

Dealing with the leaks has "exhausted" him, he confessed, recounting one occasion where he woke up in the middle of the night to find his living room floor soaked.

The family had also taken to setting up a bucket in their living room and two to three basins in their storeroom before they leave the house to catch any leaks, he said.

Leakage on the topmost floor of HDB blocks usually comes from the roof, which is maintained by the town council. Homeowners should contact the town council to rectify the leak, HDB's website advises.

In response to AsiaOne's queries, Nee Soon Town Council said it was looking into the matter.

kimberlylim@asiaone.com