You may not have a noisy upstairs neighbour today, but that can change tomorrow. If your upstairs neighbour stomps on the floor, drags furniture, drops heavy objects or slams cabinet doors (thus creating impact noise), the law does not help much if you want to stop such behaviour.

Newspaper reports and online forums show that current avenues for redress are inadequate. Victims say that they spent months or years speaking to town councils, calling the police, enduring long-drawn mediation processes or filing cases with the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal (CDRT), often to no avail.

Their neighbours caused them serious harm:

1. Their health was affected, through lack of sleep and stress; and
2. Some were forced to leave their homes, suffering financial losses from selling their homes or breaking leases.

The Community Relations Unit (CRU) is unlikely to move the needle. It is reserved for a few “severe” cases. Crucially, it does not lead to a permanent solution. When the noise resumes, the downstairs neighbour has to contact the CRU to monitor the noise again. The downstairs neighbour probably cannot live in his home for days, while the noise recording is done.

Why the situation is unfair

Downstairs neighbour

The downstairs neighbour has to jump through several hoops to try to attain peaceful enjoyment of the home which he paid so much to buy or rent:

1. Recording evidence of impact noise is difficult
   
   It is difficult to record impact noise as it is low pitch, vibrational and intermittent. 
   
   The burden should not be on victims to engage expensive sound recording companies to obtain evidence. Victims also have to move out of their homes during the recording period.
   
   This places victims at a disadvantage when they seek help from the town council, police, mediators or CDRT.
   
   
2. Victims cannot engage in “self-help” as soundproofing the ceiling is ineffective
   
   Sound engineers state that soundproofing the ceiling is ineffective as noise also travels downwards through walls and windows, so the only effective means is to insulate the floor in the upstairs unit to stop the noise at the source. I had to resort to soundproofing my ceiling and can attest that it is ineffective.

Upstairs neighbour

It is easy for the upstairs neighbour to make the downstairs neighbour’s life hell: he simply runs around, drags furniture, drops things and slams cabinet doors, all the while refusing low-cost solutions like using play mats / carpets or sticking bumpers on cabinet doors.

He has no incentive to be considerate, attend mediation or obey court orders as he knows the downstairs neighbour cannot retaliate.

The solution which MND and BCA should adopt

In the case of water leaks from upstairs units which affect downstairs units, the government recognised that the downstairs neighbour is at a disadvantage. The downstairs neighbour suffers but the upstairs neighbour does not, so the upstairs neighbour has no incentive to fix the leak. Hence the law levels the playing field by requiring the upstairs unit’s owner to prove that the leak did not originate from the upstairs unit.

Similarly, in the case of impact noise, downstairs neighbours are always at a disadvantage. The law should level the playing field for downstairs neighbours. The proposed solution is:

1. All new HDB units and condo units should have floor insulation (e.g. rubber / cork underlayment). This is cheaper and more effective than soundproofing ceilings
   
   
2. In existing units, the owner of the upstairs unit should install floor insulation if requested by the owner of the downstairs unit
   
   The owner of the downstairs unit should bear e.g. 25% of the costs, so as to discourage frivolous requests. In addition, this removes the need for recording evidence as the owner of the downstairs unit is unlikely to make false complaints if he is willing to foot e.g. 25% of the cost of floor insulation.
   
   MND and BCA should publish a list of accredited soundproofing contractors, to ensure customers receive competent services at fair prices.

Low cost

MND, BCA, HDB and property developers should not reject this solution on the basis of cost. The cost of installing floor insulation is a tiny fraction of the cost of land and construction, yet this will reap huge benefits for the living standards of the population. 

In addition, this will save costs for the government as the disputing parties need not involve the CRU to record evidence.

How you can help

1. Sign this petition - using your initials and last name is sufficient
   
   
2. Forward this petition to your friends and family by mobile chat, email and social media
   
   
3. Post links to this petition in online forums, e.g. Reddit
   
   
4. Speak to your MP or grassroots leaders about this problem

Even if you do not live in Singapore, please do the above. In addition, you may wish to start a similar petition to improve the quality of life in your own country!