Residents of HDB flats can attest to the fact that the occasional thump or bump noise from your upstairs neighbour is quite normal.
An elderly couple living in Sengkang, however, does not think so. Upset by the noises they heard, they allegedly resorted to knocking against their own ceiling to express their anger.
Meanwhile, their upstairs neighbour, Nicole, claimed that the pair would continue doing so even when her family isn’t making any noise at all.
She later learnt that the couple also had issues with the previous occupiers of her flat. On one occasion, the pair even confronted the previous residents with a chopper.
According to Nicole, the harassment began even before she moved into her Sengkang unit on 28 May.
While renovation works were ongoing, an elderly woman from the unit right below hers allegedly threw soil at her front door. The lady apparently did so because she was upset with the construction noise.
Image courtesy of Nicole
Some of the soil particles even stuck to the door of Nicole’s unit and affected her next-door neighbour.
Image courtesy of Nicole
The day before, Nicole said she had bought cakes and cookies for the elderly couple to apologise for the noise.
Though the seniors reacted kindly to the gesture, they allegedly started “banging the ceiling” shortly after. This bewildered Nicole as she was alone at home then.
She told MS News that she found soil again outside her house about two weeks later on 14 June. Considering the prior incident, she suspected that the same elderly woman in her 80s had repeated her actions.
Image courtesy of Nicole
The turn of events confused Nicole as she claimed to have told her two children to be quiet.
She also found out from neighbours that the elderly woman had been banging on her ceiling the week before, even when nobody was home.
Moreover, the elderly woman would occasionally shout from her unit, accusing Nicole’s family of disturbing her, even with the sounds of them showering.
On 7 July, Nicole was awoken from her sleep at about 4am by loud thumping sounds.
Source: @nicole.bubbly on Instagram
Upset, she promptly called the police. Somehow, the neighbours stopped knocking thereafter.
The next morning, they visited Nicole’s flat, alleging that there were loud ‘walking noises’ at about 4am. They also claimed to have smelled a medicinal odour.
Source: @nicole.bubbly on Instagram
On Monday (17 July), a similar incident happened, which prompted Nicole to call the cops once again.
Each time anyone confronted the couple, they would allegedly use the term “bullying old folks” (欺负老人), implying that residents were ganging up against them.
However, Nicole pointed out that it’s unfair that they get to “bully people and still get away”.
Two days later on Wednesday (19 July), the elderly woman started shouting at about 11pm, claiming that a man was bullying her. This was allegedly followed by her husband hitting a solid surface loudly.
When the police arrived, Nicole said the pair maintained that they were asleep and instead accused her of making the noises.
While she was recording for her Instagram Story the following night, the elderly couple allegedly started knocking against their ceiling and screaming.
Source: @nicole.bubbly on Instagram
In response, Nicole and another neighbour called the police.
Source: @nicole.bubbly on Instagram
In her Instagram Stories, Nicole shared that the knocking would last at least 30 minutes. What makes it worse is that the elderly couple would knock on the ceiling around the whole house.
On Thursday (20 July), Nicole shared a video showing a heated confrontation between the elderly woman and the previous owner of her flat.
The clip showed the former holding and waving a large chopper in one hand while shouting at the latter.
Image courtesy of Nicole
The elderly woman even swung the chopper violently against a metal surface — presumably the metal gate — creating loud, clanging noises.
Image courtesy of Nicole
After the confrontation, she allegedly threatened to commit suicide. Someone likely called for help, as officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) turned up and set up inflatable cushions at the foot of the block.
A photo Nicole shared showed several officers standing on the window ledge above the elderly woman’s unit.
Despite the alleged harassment, Nicole said she has no desire to take legal action against the elderly couple and merely hopes for them to receive the help they may need.
She also pointed out that “a home is not a home” if she constantly has to ask her kids — who are four and six years old — not to run around.
As such, she’s appealing for help to identify the elderly couple’s sons, in hopes that they could bring their parents for a mental health assessment.
Nicole has also sought help from her MP Jamus Lim, who had purportedly advised the elderly couple’s son to seek help for his parents.
However, the son apparently refused to do so, insisting his mother was fine.
Source: @nicole.bubbly on Instagram
The Sengkang MP has apparently also written to the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), who said they’ll be attempting to contact the residents in question, as well as their children.
He additionally shared that the pair had requested for their Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) to be cut short. However, HDB allegedly declined their request, stating that there are two years left to the flat’s MOP.
MS News has reached out to Assoc Prof Lim and Sengkang Town Council for comments on this incident. We will update this article when they get back.
Even though the issue looks anything but straightforward, we hope both parties will be able to find an amicable solution that will put any disagreement to rest. After all, everyone wants a peaceful home that they can come back to to recuperate.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image courtesy of Nicole.
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