Ensuring Quality of Elder-friendly Features in Studio Apartments
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns how HDB ensures the quality of elder-friendly features in studio apartments and who is responsible for fixing inherent defects after the defects liability period. Mr Png Eng Huat raised these queries, to which Minister Lawrence Wong responded that HDB complies with BCA’s Code on Accessibility and employs consultants to oversee construction. He explained that HDB supervises and inspects flats throughout the construction process, requiring contractors to rectify all defects before residents move in. While contractors repair defects during the one-year liability period, HDB continues to assist residents and investigate reports made after this period has ended. Minister Lawrence Wong concluded that HDB will arrange repairs for these later cases if safety concerns arise from product design or installation.
Transcript
69 Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Minister for National Development (a) how does HDB ensure the safety and elder-friendly features of HDB's studio apartments in new housing developments are built according to specifications before allowing elderly residents to move in; and (b) who is responsible for fixing such inherent defects if they are detected after the defects liability period.
Mr Lawrence Wong: The Housing and Development Board (HDB) complies with the Building and Construction Authority's (BCA's) Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment 2013 for the design of safety and elder-friendly features of studio apartments. HDB engages a team of consultants to manage the construction of safety and elder-friendly features to ensure that they are built according to the specifications. As part of HDB's quality management system, HDB supervises, tests, audits and inspects flats throughout the construction process, to ensure the quality of flats delivered to home buyers. Where there are defects, HDB will require contractors to rectify them to HDB's satisfaction before allowing residents to move in.
After residents have moved into the flats, HDB will continue to assist residents who report defects to HDB. If defects are reported during the one-year defects liability period (DLP), HDB will arrange for the contractor to carry out the repairs. If any defects are reported after the DLP, HDB will investigate accordingly and arrange for repairs for cases where there are safety concerns due to the product design or installation.