Contractor drills holes on North Bridge Rd resident's bathroom ceiling to ease leaks, problem persists

Water has been continuously leaking from the ceiling of Stomper SL’s bathroom ever since the renovation works for the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) started on May 15 this year. 

Stomper SL who stays at Block 467 North Bridge Road told Stomp that her mother first noticed a wet patch on the ceiling during the upgrading works. She informed the HIP supervisor who was passing by on the corridor on May 15 and he came in to check. 

According to SL, when the supervisor attached a piece of tissue paper to a pole and used it to dab the ceiling, the paper came back drenched. 

SL visited the HIP contractor’s office to complain about the leak on the following day (May 18). 

On May 19, SL met the supervisor at the office who then informed her that the neighbour from the unit directly above hers had opted out of the HIP. 

Meanwhile, the leak continued.

On May 21, SL called the hotline to the Housing and Development Board’s (HDB) Sim Drive Branch. An officer reportedly told her that she should direct her problems to the HIP contractor instead.

Through the officer, SL also found out that residents in the block had to undergo a waterproof test to check for leaks in the event that they choose to opt out of the HIP.

The test is usually conducted months before the start of the HIP.

SL said that she was unaware that such a test was carried out as she was not informed when the contractors visited to assess her flat a month before the HIP started.

Later that evening, the supervisor visited SL and her mother in their flat and told them the same thing which the officer had told them —

Their neighbour had gone through a waterproof test and passed it before opting out of the HIP. 

SL added that her mother and the supervisor periodically visited the neighbours to convince them to upgrade their floor to prevent the leak, but the neighbours would not budge. 

Said SL:

“The test was conducted four months ago. Pipes and concrete could have moved during the project.

“Furthermore, leaks could be caused by drilling works.”

On May 22, the HIP contractors visited SL’s home again and drilled eight holes on the bathroom ceiling. 

SL said:

“They told me that this was done to drain the water out.

“They visited my home every day for the next two week to see if the leak stopped. It did not.

“After that, they stopped coming up. I called them and they told me that they are still trying to determine why the leaks happen, and how to stop it.”

Asked about the severity of the leak, SL answered that it was just droplets of water but the leaks were continuous. 

“For now, there would be droplets of water falling on us when we use the bathroom. 

“We try to avoid that particular part of the ceiling, but the bathroom is only this big, so navigating can be difficult.

“It’s so frustrating when you just finished bathing and then a few drops of dirty water drop on you. Even if we wanted to sell the flat, how can we do that with the leaks?”

Stomp has contacted the authorities on the matter and investigations are ongoing.