SINGAPORE: A foreign student has allegedly been causing disturbances in a residential area by hosting late-night parties, much to the frustration of the neighbors.
Taking to r/askSingapore, one of his neighbors shared that these late-night parties are held past midnight and at least twice a month.
“I believe he is a student from Korea studying at a university in Singapore, as the shouting and yelling at the parties sound like his classmates,” she said. “I guess they are all around 20-22 yrs old.”
She explained that these parties tend to last until the early hours of the morning, typically around 3 or 4 AM. Apart from the loud music and voices, the neighbors have also been disturbed by the sound of numerous bottles crashing onto the floor.
Additionally, besides the parties, she mentioned that the student frequently makes very loud and heavy footsteps almost every night after 10 PM. Sometimes, he also starts unpacking and packing things at 3 AM, causing clinking noises on the floor.
As a light sleeper, she expressed how these disturbances have made it exceedingly difficult for her to maintain a regular sleep schedule.
She also shared that prior to this foreign student moving in April, their area has always been quiet and pleasant.
Neighbors take action, but to no avail
Despite multiple efforts to address the issue, she said that nothing has changed.
The 24-hour security team has already warned him and his visitors multiple times. The management staff of the condo has also posted a warning letter on his door and informed him that they will also notify his landlord about all of these.
Moreover, she and the other neighbors have also tried talking to him in person.
“We talk with this guy in person, express our anger and question his behavior in the middle of the night. He apologized and said he will be quieter, but everything happens again after a few weeks.”
The neighbors are considering calling the police or the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT) if the disturbances persist, but they are uncertain about the effectiveness of these actions based on other posts on Reddit about similar issues.
“He has clearly violated Singapore’s noise regulations multiple times, without changing for the better. Secondly, I feel I’m extremely stressful these past few months. Now I even find myself anticipating when his noise with start, knowing it begins as soon as we go to bed,” she explained.
She then asked the online community if she should contact a lawyer next time and make this an official civil case.
“I can tell you nothing will happen to him.”
In the comments section, a few netizens said that the foreign student will not face any significant consequences, similar to other cases they had seen.
One netizen said, “I can tell you nothing will happen to him. You Google noisy neighbors in Singapore. They are still living in their unit making noises everyday.”
Another commented, “I confirm, nothing will happen. Inconsiderate neighbors and noises is a part of the package of living in Singapore.
Had the same issue with more than one neighbor (I’ve moved condos multiple times). Can confirm nothing to be done except move out and hope for the best.”
Others said that the solution to her problem is to confront the foreign student every time he and his visitors make noise. They argued that merely “talking to him and questioning his behavior once” is not enough to make him understand the severity of the issue.
They also suggested that she ask for the student’s phone number so she could call him directly at night when the noise becomes too loud. This way, the student could receive instant and direct feedback and address the issue immediately.
One netizen added, “Speaking once does not do it. Confront him when he’s making a din. Give instant feedback and stop it there and then. It takes more effort but it is also your determination vs his nonchalance.”
Another netizen, meanwhile, lamented the lack of stricter noise pollution regulations in Singapore.
He said, “I wish Singapore had harsher stances on noise pollution especially if reported by multiple neighbors. It can really feel like hell with no alternatives. That’s why people take justice into their own hands when all official routes fail.”
Read also: HDB resident asks, “How do I deal with my neighbour who keeps smoking every other hour?”
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