Sales Of Balance Flats Defects Reporting

[Krazbi 0]

Guys,

Do you experience this? The HDB contact person is unreachable. We have sent numerous emails asking for updates and these emails are usually sent out on Monday mornings. There is no reply; Zilch either via email, SMS, or phone call.

On Saturday mornings, we would usually go down to take a look see at the flat. First time we went, nothing was done. Second Saturday we went, the Service Yard flooring was works in progress.

In my latest email to him, I updated the Defects Forms (crossing out those that were completed) and asking for a date for the works to be completed so that a handover can be done to me and I can get my ID to start work. So far, NO RESPONSE again. I cannot be waiting indefinitely and I am planning on writing in to whoever his supervisor is.

[Krazbi 0]

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Edited October 29, 2012 by Krazbi

[Krazbi 0]

Good morning peeps

Okay... what transpired last week. After waiting for more than a month and waiting and waiting for updates from the HDB fellow, I finally called up to lodge a complaint. Didn't manage to speak to the Supervisor as he was on leave but learned some really disturbing news.

1) I was told that for Balanced Flats, it is "buy as per condition", which got me really infuriated.

- This condition is not told / made known to new owners. I do not recall reading this clause on HDB's website.

- If this condition is so, why are the tiles of the previous owners hacked away for some balanced flats and left alone for others?

2) Defects Form

]- apparently, HDB does not rectify anything because I was given the reply "Under lessee".

This was the reply given to me when I wanted to know if the rusty door frame and broken door knob of my bomb shelter can be replaced. Then I seriously wonder why do I even need to raise any Defects Form when nothing except "leaking ceiling" is under HDB. Why were we made to wait and wait and wait, no replies and all, for the rectifications to be done when in actual fact, HDB was not going to do anything.

HDB didn't sell the flat at 1999 price; 1999 being the year the flat was built. The flat now costs more than double and yet they say, everything is lessee's.

The HDB fellow finally replied me via email and said that he wanted to "confirm the defects that I had raised."

A confirmation .... more than 1 month after I raised it! This is absurd! We were told by this HDB fellow to liaise directly with the HDB contractor and we did. But during the meeting, the HDB fellow wasn't at the meeting. We understand that he probably needed to be at some sites, probably, seeing other first-time owners of flats too, but if his presence was absolutely necessary at our first meeting with the HDB contractor, why didn't he call us back to let us know that we need to meet him? "To liaise directly with HDB contractor" would mean that this contractor could make the confirmation of the defects that we had raised.

I was very upset. So upset that in my strongly worded reply, I told him that there is no more a need for confirmation especially when we raised the form more than 1 month ago. We want a date where HDB can handover the flat to us with ALL the defects that were raised fixed.

Anyways, the HDB fellow said that his Supervisor and the HDB contractor and himself would be going down to our flat and we have agreed to meet them with our own contractor. If they are going to insist that everything is under lessee, I want them to put it down on writing and if they say we could go ahead with our renovation works since we have raised our defects, I would also want them to put it down on writing.

[swit 0]

Hello all..

Sharing my experience abt my SOBF unit here

The day the HDB officer opened the door for us to view, defects noted were :

1) kitchen n toilets had the old school mosaic tilings..some even came off and holes here n there..

2) toilet bowls not in a usable condition ;p

3) living / dining and bedroom has no tiles..

seems that the previous owner used the vinyl type of flooring and HDB has removed it.

4) balcony door cannot close shut.. seems that the track is bent or something.

5) kitchen window 3 panels ..the extreme left and right one cannot push open..can open only like 10 cm each side lol!! no ventilation can die!!

6) the house have no main gate

brought it up to the officer there n then.

Months passed and finally we got the keys to enter our home.

Rectifications made :

1) the tiles for kitchen, toilets, living/dining n bedrooms are replaced with new ones including the balcony floor.

Great news huh got new tiles?

the bad news is..im laughing when im typing this lol!! they used the same blo*** tiles for the whole hse!! including the toilet lol!!

2) toilet bowls and sink were replaced with new ones

3) balcony door has been replaced but then haha the lock is not working at both ends..oh well better than nothing..

4) gave us a gate for the main door haha but old school type..hehe

5) as for windows...they told me they cant do anyting to it...so in the end i got it change on my own expense..

but hey..

come to think if it..

the officer was already being so nice to us..

at least he tried to help us..

he saved us $$$$ by changing what he could.

cannot imagine if i have to replace that balcony door and to do up kitchen and toilet floorings..that would cost us alot of $$$$..

ah then comes the best part abt $$$$.. aft moving in..it seems that the previous owner has O$P$ problem...lol..oops sidetracked!!

ok back to the topic..

the main thing is to talk nicely to the officer and ask him what he could help to replace or something...

hopes it works out for you!!

all the best and do keep us updated

[Rosicky 4]

Hi All

Hope to get some advice in SOBF Repurchased flats. I am a second timer (sold my first subsidized flat 7 years ago, now staying in a resale flat), thus I wonder if it is worthwhile to buy one from HDB.

1. Is buying a 20+ year old repurchased flat from HDB considered as buying a "subsidized" flat? I mean they are selling it at market valuation, plus a lease of 70+ years, so it is not that worthwhile?

2. If the above is true, as a 2nd timer, I will be required to pay a resale levy. It will be better off for me to go for a open market resale and use the money as COV instead?

Thanks.

[RyanMelissa 0]

Hi all, just to share.

I have purchased a repo flat from HDB, renovating now and it is less than 20yrs.

When we first collected our keys in Sept, we found out that the MBR toilet wall had leakage

due to the waterproofing on the upper floor.

HDB fixed the upper floor toilet's (both), and we do not have to pay a single cent.

What is provided to us:

-Toilet and kitchen wall & floor tiles

-Re-con room + store doors(good condition)

-poor paint workmanship

The HDB supervisor incharge of my area told me that the following must be given to us in new condition:

-New toilet bowls and basins

-New windows (no grills)

-New main door and gate + new locks (old style)

-New letterbox lock

Finally, the repair work of the upper floor toilet's delayed my whole renovation schedule but it was worthwhile.

Cheers, Melissa.

[hwoha 0]

Hi RyanMelissa,

I would like to have your HDB supervisor taking care of my flat matters if we have a choice.

We have issues with our windows too - screeching sound, rusty, loose, rubber seals falling off and dirty (paint marks and white plaster or cement residues left on the window frames). My HDB supervisor told us that HDB will only rectify the screeching sound and rubber seals problems. They will not change new windows for us. Even for the rusty and dirty problems, either we clean them ourselves or we have to find our own contractor to clean them up....

Hi all, just to share.

I have purchased a repo flat from HDB, renovating now and it is less than 20yrs.

When we first collected our keys in Sept, we found out that the MBR toilet wall had leakage

due to the waterproofing on the upper floor.

HDB fixed the upper floor toilet's (both), and we do not have to pay a single cent.

What is provided to us:

-Toilet and kitchen wall & floor tiles

-Re-con room + store doors(good condition)

-poor paint workmanship

The HDB supervisor incharge of my area told me that the following must be given to us in new condition:

-New toilet bowls and basins

-New windows (no grills)

-New main door and gate + new locks (old style)

-New letterbox lock

Finally, the repair work of the upper floor toilet's delayed my whole renovation schedule but it was worthwhile.

Cheers, Melissa.

[RyanMelissa 0]

Hi RyanMelissa,

I would like to have your HDB supervisor taking care of my flat matters if we have a choice.

We have issues with our windows too - screeching sound, rusty, loose, rubber seals falling off and dirty (paint marks and white plaster or cement residues left on the window frames). My HDB supervisor told us that HDB will only rectify the screeching sound and rubber seals problems. They will not change new windows for us. Even for the rusty and dirty problems, either we clean them ourselves or we have to find our own contractor to clean them up....

Hi Hwoha,

Have you tried going to your MP (meet the people session)?

Initially i had problem with the upper floor toilet repair, HDB cited "Goodwill repair must be approve by the MP, and will not be so soon due to the procedure involved."

It was then i wrote an email to my area's MP, as my husband and i are having night class on every thursday night which clashese with the MP session and cannot attend.

But we were prepared to skip class if there are no email response from the MP.

Surprisely, she (or her assistant) replied the following day (fast response), soon after that the HDB contacted me and discuss about my problem.

Maybe you can try my method. Wish you luck!

Cheers.

[hwoha 0]

Hi RyanMelissa,

Thanks, i think I will try your method.

Hi Hwoha,

Have you tried going to your MP (meet the people session)?

Initially i had problem with the upper floor toilet repair, HDB cited "Goodwill repair must be approve by the MP, and will not be so soon due to the procedure involved."

It was then i wrote an email to my area's MP, as my husband and i are having night class on every thursday night which clashese with the MP session and cannot attend.

But we were prepared to skip class if there are no email response from the MP.

Surprisely, she (or her assistant) replied the following day (fast response), soon after that the HDB contacted me and discuss about my problem.

Maybe you can try my method. Wish you luck!

Cheers.

[guan1305 0]

Hi hwoha,

Any updates to ur issue? I am currently in a dispute with hdb as well... And i have just approached my mp for help.

Not sure how it gonna turn out though.