Joint Site Inspections before Handover of Duties for Maintenance of HDB Blocks' Parking and Common Spaces
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis’s inquiry on whether joint site inspections between the Housing & Development Board (HDB) and Town Councils (TCs) are mandated before the handover of maintenance duties for common property and car parks. Minister for National Development Desmond Lee clarified that joint inspections for common property are conducted prior to handover, while car parks are typically inspected upon opening to identify defects for contractor rectification. Although phased car park openings may defer joint inspections until the final phase for practical reasons, TCs are instructed to report any discovered defects to HDB post-takeover for follow-up. Minister for National Development Desmond Lee noted that car parks are maintained by TCs under specific agreements, distinct from the common property managed under the Town Councils Act. HDB continues to work closely with TCs to refine handover processes and ensure smooth transitions for the maintenance of HDB residential developments.
Transcript
30 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether an agreement for the maintenance of parking spaces and common property of HDB residential blocks mandate joint site inspections to be conducted by both HDB and the relevant Town Council prior to a handover; and (b) whether there are instances where the maintenance of a HDB parking space or residential block by a Town Council had commenced without a joint inspection first being conducted.
Mr Desmond Lee: Under the Town Councils Act, Town Councils (TCs) are responsible for managing and maintaining the Housing & Development Board (HDB) common property. Prior to the completion of HDB residential blocks, HDB will brief the TC on key handover details, before conducting a joint inspection of the common property. This joint inspection by HDB and the TC is done prior to the commencement date upon which the TC will take over the maintenance of the common property. The purpose of the joint inspection is to identify defects and address issues raised by the TC.
HDB car parks are not common property. TCs maintain HDB car parks on behalf of HDB under Maintenance Agreements between HDB and the TCs. Under these agreements, TCs carry out routine maintenance work, keep HDB car parks in a state of good and serviceable repair and maintain them in a clean and proper condition. HDB will initiate a joint inspection with the relevant TC when a car park is completed and opened for public use. The purpose of the joint inspection is primarily to identify any defects for rectification by the building contractor. After the joint inspection, the inspection form will be endorsed by both HDB and the TC.
There are instances where car parks were opened in phases, to allow residents who have started moving in to use the car parks as soon as possible. These car parks were progressively handed over to the TCs in phases and joint inspections were held prior to the final phase of opening. We have stated in a previous reply in October 2023 that in such instances, it may not be practical to carry out joint inspections for every phase of opening. This is because contractors' workers would still be going in and out of the car park due to ongoing works in other parts of the car park, and it would be more practical to carry out the final inspection at the end so that contractors' defect liability is clearly laid out. The TCs are also informed upfront to note any defects that they discover after they take over and to provide the details of the defects to HDB.
HDB will continue to work closely with the TCs to ensure smooth handovers for HDB developments and refine the handover process where necessary.