Slamming doors, jangling keys loudly: West Coast neighbours say elderly couple still a nuisance despite mediation

West Coast Crescent residents accused a couple, who are in their 60s, of creating a ruckus every day by stomping their feet, slamming doors and jangling keys loudly.

After seeking help from the Community Mediation Centre, the couple insisted they did not deliberately make noise as a nuisance to their neighbours at Block 801A West Coast Crescent but the problem apparently still persisted.

Lai, 44, who lives in the unit across from the couple's, told Shin Min Daily News that he moved in February, while the couple had moved in at the end of last year.

He initially had a good relationship with the couple and was even invited to visit their flat.

The couple had told Lai that they suspected someone had relieved himself at their door. With the couple's consent, Lai installed a CCTV and directed it to the corridor space between their doors.

"But not long after, they asked me why I pointed the CCTV camera at their house. Although I immediately made adjustments, the relationship between us began to sour," said Lai.

"They also accused me of leaving packages in the corridor."

Lai claimed the couple deliberately splashed water on him on different occasions.

"Once the camera bracket fell, they swept it away with a broom, destroyed it and threw it down the building," he added.

"We sought mediation in August but the situation did not improve afterwards."

Lai shared a footage of his male neighbour deliberately jangling his bunch of keys as he walked towards his flat, stomping his feet and slamming his door after him.

The neighbour, 68-year-old Wang, told Shin Min Daily News he had no intention of making enemies.

He explained that he was jangling his keys because Lai's dog would bark each time he walked past, so he was hoping that the sound would keep the dog quiet.

Lai said his dog would get riled up by the sound of the jangling keys and start barking.

Wang added that he complied with the conditions set by the Community Mediation Centre, including the removal of incense burners to ensure hygiene and reduce disputes.

Another resident, 54-year-old Lin, claimed that Wang's wife would tail his tenant as she walked to the bus stop to go to work at about 5am and paced around the bus stop.

The tenant eventually chose to move out as she felt harassed. 

Wang's wife told Shin Min Daily News that it was purely coincidental that she would leave her flat at about the same time for her morning exercises.

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This article was first published in Stomp. Permission required for reproduction.