Water Seepages and Wear and Tear Problems at Common Areas of HDB Estates

11 Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for National Development how can the Ministry support Town Councils to help residents with water seepages and wear and tear problems at common areas of HDB estates.

The Senior Minister of State for National Development (Ms Sim Ann) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, the external walls of HDB flats are common property under the Town Councils’ management and maintenance. Town Councils are responsible for keeping common property, including external walls, in good condition by carrying out regular and cyclical maintenance.

Residents who encounter water seepage from external walls in their flat typically report it to the Town Council managing their estate. For difficult cases, HDB will work with the Town Councils to resolve the seepage issue. For example, there may be cases where Town Councils have carried out repairs but the water seepage issue persists despite the Town Councils' efforts. In such cases, HDB can assist the Town Council by carrying out joint inspections and providing technical advice to the Town Council on appropriate repair methods.

In addition, to support Town Councils in carrying out their maintenance work, HDB has been providing training to Town Council maintenance staff on the repairs of water seepage from external walls. There are also regular dialogues between HDB and Town Councils to discuss and resolve issues relating to estate maintenance.