'I dreaded going home': Woman sells Bedok flat to escape from neighbour's noisy parrot

Fed up with her next-door neighbour's noisy pet, one woman took a rather drastic step to resolve that problem – by selling her HDB flat. 

Wu, 45, said that her family had been living comfortably at Block 620 Bedok Reservoir Road for the past 13 years, Shin Min Daily news reported on Monday (Oct 3).

But their peace and tranquillity were shattered when a next-door neighbour moved in a year ago with his pet parrot, Wu shared.

Describing how the bird would scream every day from 7pm at the common corridor, Wu said: "It didn't seem to stop [even at night and during the weekends]. We weren't able to sleep."

While she held back from "saying anything" at first, Wu explained that the neighbours whistling at the bird in the early mornings was the tipping point.

"The neighbour moved the birdcage into his home after my complaints, but the problem was never resolved," the frustrated woman said. "My child has to go to school and I have to go to work, it's so inconsiderate.

Being a light sleeper, Wu shared how she was frequently woken up in the middle of the night by the parrot's screams, adding that she felt tortured in her own home.

The only solution from this misery? Selling the flat, according to Wu.

"I dreaded going home to rest even after a busy day," she said, adding that her family will be moving out in February next year.

Other residents in that block have also shared what it's like living close to a noisy parrot.

While 26-year-old Fu, who lives on the same floor, said that sleeping with earbuds does not completely block out the screams, 50-year-old Zhao shared that he was not troubled by the noisy bird.

In another incident of noisy pets in May last year, several residents of Block 61 Chai Chee Road complained that a man's ownership of over 10 birds had ruffled their feathers.

One of the man's neighbours also complained of birds' feathers and droppings dirtying her windowsill and house, Shin Min Daily News reported at that time.

But the bird owner responded by putting up a note that says: "If my birds are released, you happy I not happy".

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chingshijie@asiaone.com