'Water dripping from the ceiling even wet my bed': Woman spends $100k in attempt to resolve seepage in Sengkang HDB home

After moving into her $650,000 HDB flat, Weng Xueli (transliteration) ended up forking out another $100,000 to fix a water seepage issue in the home, to no avail.

The 48-year-old resident at Sengkang Crescent told Shin Min Daily News on Sunday (Dec 31) that the problem surfaced soon after she moved into the five-room resale flat in May 2022.

She found mould growing in the wardrobe and her clothes would inexplicably feel damp.

"The bedroom cabinetry would be mouldy even though we wiped it once every three days," said Weng. At the time, they did not discover any water seepage or leaks.

"Due to the high moisture levels in the home, I spent $50,000 to replace our TV console and kitchen cabinets, as well as kitchen and toilet plumbing," she added.

The problem only got worse, however.

Water frequently seeped through the ceiling, and even the walls and unidentified insects also began appearing in the home, Weng shared with the Chinese daily.

She added that whenever this happened, their helper would be wiping down the home the entire day.

In July this year, Weng said she spent $100,000 to renovate the home in a bid to resolve the issue. This included tiling up the walls at the entrance and living room and laying four coats of waterproof paint on the ceiling.

Weng told Shin Min that she also rebuilt a wall that the previous owner had demolished and installed new furniture and bathroom fixtures in the home.

Unfortunately for Weng, the issues persisted, intensifying during the rainy season.

"Whenever it rains heavily, water would leak from the ceiling or walls of the three bedrooms, living room and toilets. The water dripping from the ceiling even wet my bed," Weng lamented.

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She added that the water was milky white in appearance and carried a strong smell of rust.

Based on a video she shared with Shin Min, the water would occasionally be brown and viscous, with the walls needing to be cleaned every time.

Weng said she'd approached the authorities for help multiple times but she still has no clue why the problem keeps recurring.

Another resident who lives on the 16th floor told Shin Min that his home faced similar problems with excessive moisture, resulting in peeling paintwork and cracks appearing on the walls.

Despite the issues faced, Weng expressed that she's unwilling to sell the flat due to its ideal location.

"I thought spending the money on the renovation would solve the problem, but I didn't expect that it would still be the same," she shared.

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candicecai@asiaone.com