We all know the saying “good fences make good neighbours”, but in Singapore, it’s more like “thin HDB walls test your patience.” Most of us are lucky enough to live next to friendly aunties who water our plants when we’re away, or uncles who share extra food with us during festive seasons.
But every now and then, headlines remind us that not everyone is blessed with such neighbours. From howling in the middle of the night to bizarre antics like splashing pee, these are the HDB residents who became infamous, and not for the reasons anyone would want.
The Sengkang case of ceiling banging & harrassment
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Nicole, a Sengkang resident, thought she’d landed a peaceful home in May 2023. But what she didn’t expect was to be thrust into a “neighbours from hell” situation. From Day 1, the elderly couple downstairs has been banging on her ceiling, accusing her of jumping or hiding people at all hours, even though CCTV footage disproved their claims.
Things escalated further when they threw soil at her gate, and Nicole later discovered they had previously threatened the former tenant with a chopper. So much for a warm welcome.
She has since called the police and reached out to her MP, only to learn that intervention isn’t that simple. While authorities can act for public safety, no arrest was made because the couple “didn’t appear violent enough.” Her MP later mentioned that unless the couple consents, mental health intervention is tough to enforce, even if their behaviour borders on cartoonish.
The Choa Chu Kang case of splashed urine
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Imagine coming home only to find urine splashed on your front door That was the bizarre reality for several residents at Block 536 Choa Chu Kang Street 51 thanks to Mr. Zhang, a 67-year-old neighbour.
Between September and October 2023, he blamed wall vibrations and dirty water damage on his neighbours. In retaliation, he filled plastic bottles with urine and placed them outside their doors. When confronted about a foul-smelling spray in October 2022, he swung his iron gate into a neighbour, injuring them.
The court found that Zhang suffers from delusional disorder, though his lack of treatment adherence ruled out the need for compulsory psychiatric care. He was eventually sentenced to 12 days behind bars under the Protection from Harassment Act.
The case of the Clementi midnight howler
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Imagine being woken up at 2 am not by an alarm but by a neighbour “howling like a dog” for minutes on end. That’s the nightly reality for residents at Block 731, Clementi West Street 2. Where for nearly a year, a middle-aged man has been belting out canine-like howls that has kept the whole block wide awake.
One resident, 47-year-old Mr. Huang summed it up best: “Sometimes the person howls in the middle of the night, making it impossible for me to sleep.” His 80-year-old mum has since relocated to the living room just to grab some shut-eye. Others have spent up to $2,000 on soundproofing, but thick curtains and specialist windows haven’t exactly silenced the midnight howlings.
Despite multiple reports to the authorities, nothing has changed—partly because the howler’s mother says he refuses to see a doctor, and no one has answered the door when approached. Residents suspect the howling may be tied to health or mental well-being issues, making intervention tricky. Meanwhile, Clementi remains on edge, and extremely well-acquainted with their unexpected nocturnal soundtrack.
The case of the disruptive pair of sisters in Ang Mo Kio
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Image credit: ProjectManhatten via Wikimedia Commons
Residents of Block 512 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 have found their shared corridors under siege, not from pranksters, but a pair of troublesome sisters. The duo reportedly clutters the hallway with all sorts of items, verbally abuses anyone passing by, and even pours water across the floor.
Despite multiple complaints, the sisters have resisted any attempt at mediation. Instead, they believe they’ve been unfairly targeted and doubled down on their antics, turning tension into a full-flown block-wide headache.
One of them was seen dancing in the corridor while waving her undergarments, a protest against the complainants. The Ang Mo Kio Town Council had to step in, issuing notices demanding the clutter be cleared. Still, the disorder and intimidation linger.
The Woodlands case of paste & shame
Image credit: Shin Min Daily News
In Woodlands, a noise dispute between neighbours escalated into a full-blown public spectacle. Residents on the 13th floor of Block 418 Street 41 were subjected to daily ceiling knocks from the unit below, leading them to confront their downstairs neighbour.
The situation took a ridiculous turn after the neighbour accused him of causing damage to their door lock, and displayed “an extremely aggressive manner”. In retaliation, the neighbour’s daughter printed and posted the visitor’s photo along a 1km stretch, from the base of the block all the way to the MRT.
The 13th floor resident isn’t the only one who had complaints. Another resident who resides on the 11th floor has also allegedly been harassed by the 12th floor neighbour, from preventing the laundry from being hung by pouring water to knocking on the floor every day between 4 am and 7 am. Only after the police were alerted more than 20 times did the 12th-floor neighbour then agree not to pour water or knock on the floor.
Despite efforts to resolve the issue through mediation, tensions remain high as the 12th floor resident claims that her mother was harassed and bullied for almost 5 years, and hopes that residents would stop making false accusations.
The decade-long case of banging in Hougang
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For over a decade, residents of a Hougang apartment complex have been subjected to relentless wall-banging from a neighbour, who seems to have mistaken his unit for a drum kit. The banging, which occurs day and night, has left residents at their wits’ end, with some even considering moving out to escape the constant disturbance.
The saga gained infamy after a neighbour shared TikTok, videos, sparking disbelief and frustration. While authorities acknowledged the complaints, the lack of evidence made intervention difficult.
The case of loud music blaring through the night
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The “neighbour from hell” made headlines after moving from Punggol to Bukit Merah, where her disruptive behaviour continued. Residents reported constant noise, including loud music, door slamming, and disturbances at all hours.
One neighbour, Mr. Lin, recorded audio clips capturing the chaos from 1am to 8am, highlighting the relentlessness of the situation. Despite attempts to address it, the neighbour dismissed complaints, claiming the walls were too thin and it wasn’t her fault.
The ongoing noise has severely impacted residents’ well-being and daily routines, with many struggling to sleep or focus. Mr. Lin contacted authorities, but as with many “neighbours from hell” cases, enforcement has proven difficult. This saga underscores how a single disruptive neighbour can turn an entire HDB block into a pressure cooker of frustration.
Notorious neighbours who made headlines in Singapore
It’s never easy to live with neighbours like these. While their behaviour can be frustrating, exhausting, or even frightening, reading through all these stories makes it clear that many of these individuals aren’t deliberately malicious. They may be struggling with mental health challenges or other personal issues that make it difficult for them to interact normally with others.
What can I do if my neighbour is disturbing me?
Dealing with noisy or disruptive neighbours can be stressful. Understanding your rights and knowing the proper steps to address the situation can help reduce conflict and protect your peace of mind.
Always approach the issue calmly, document all incidents with pictures or videos as evidence, and seek mediation or professional support if you can.
For anyone feeling overwhelmed, it’s also important to prioritise your mental health and seek help via the appropriate channels. The best steps to take include speaking directly to your neighbour if it’s safe or contacting your town council authorities for help.
If all else fails, please reach out to mental health hotlines such as the National helpline or Samaritans of Singapore. If you are in need of counselling, please reach out to Touchline, it’s never a good idea to keep everything bottled up.
Interested in more stuff like this? Check out some of our other articles:
- How horrible neighbours made me move house 8 times
- We share 11 Singaporean’ experiences with noisy neighbours
- 7 homes with unsettling dark pasts in Singapore
Cover image adapted from: MustShareNews, MustShareNews, Shin Min Daily News
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