SINGAPORE: Since her grandmother’s death about half a year ago, Kimberly Chan has been unable to sell her five-room flat.
Potential buyers would leave quickly each time, put off by the opposite neighbour’s corridor clutter, which spills into the lift lobby.
“They don’t really want to see much more of the unit because it’s very inconvenient (to live next to a hoarder),” said Chan, 35, adding that the clutter began about eight or nine years ago.
Back when her grandmother was alive, Chan’s family reported the issue via the OneService platform for estate issues. They cited hygiene and fire safety concerns, as the mess had piled up to within 1.5 metres of the lift entrance.
“My grandma was on a wheelchair, right, (and) we were unable to push her out of the lift,” she said.
Although counsellors and volunteers came within the week to assist the neighbour in clearing the clutter, the relief was short-lived. If the items were cleared on a Tuesday, for instance, the corridor would remain clean only the next day.