Complaints Received in Relation to Noise from Neighbours in HDB Estates Since Start of 2020
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns noise complaints in HDB estates since 2020, as raised by Mr Vikram Nair regarding their frequency and whether HDB would set acceptable noise levels or increase enforcement. Minister for National Development Desmond Lee reported 11,400 complaints from January to September 2020, noting a significant spike during the Circuit Breaker period when more residents remained at home. He explained that residents should practice mutual tolerance and utilize mediation services through the Community Dispute Management Framework rather than resorting to intrusive enforcement. Minister for National Development Desmond Lee highlighted HDB’s educational efforts and the ‘Then How’ series to promote gracious heartland living and communication among neighbours. Ultimately, the response emphasized that good neighbourly behaviour and mutual consideration are the primary means to manage household noise in high-density environments.
Transcript
37 Mr Vikram Nair asked the Minister for National Development (a) since the start of 2020, how many complaints have been received in relation to noise from neighbours in HDB estates; and (b) whether HDB will consider expressly setting out acceptable levels of household noise, educating the public on these levels and taking enforcement measures.
Mr Desmond Lee: From January to September 2020, HDB has received about 11,400 cases of feedback relating to noise from residents’ daily activities, up from about 3,600 cases for the same time period in 2019.
From January to March 2020, there were about 500 cases of such feedback per month. This increased to about 1,800 cases of feedback per month from April to July 2020, especially during the Circuit Breaker period when most of us had to stay at home. From August 2020, the number of such feedback dropped to 1,300 per month, likely due to the return of students to school and more workers to workplaces.
In a high-density living environment, some amount of noise is inevitable. It is important that residents do their part by showing consideration for their neighbours, such as by keeping the noise level down, especially late at night, in order to ensure a pleasant living environment for all.
In most instances, residents cooperate when alerted to feedback about noise, and will take measures to minimise the inconvenience to their neighbours. Under the Community Dispute Management Framework, disputing parties can also seek mediation at the Community Mediation Centre, or in more intractable cases, refer the matter to the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal. We should not resort to excessive enforcement, as doing so is not only intrusive, but also destroys the social fabric of HDB living.
HDB actively engages residents on topics such as mutual tolerance amongst neighbours, as well as gracious and responsible heartland living through exhibitions, and outreach at schools and through the Friends of Our Heartlands volunteer network. HDB also works with other organisations to promote good neighbourly behaviour. Most recently, HDB collaborated with the Singapore Kindness Movement on a public messaging series, called the 'Then How' series, to encourage mutual tolerance and neighbourliness. Ultimately, good communication and neighbourliness amongst residents are key to minimising household noise issues.