Buying and moving into a new home is always a big milestone. Most of the time, it’s exciting because it signifies fresh beginnings and a comfortable space to call home. Some might even look forward to living in harmony with their neighbours and developing a “kampung spirit”. For most, HDB living is exactly that: safe, peaceful and harmonious.
But every once in a while, reality throws a curveball. Some neighbourly quirks cross into the bizarre or even downright disgusting. From mysterious sanitary pads appearing around the estate to corridors being used as toilets. Here are 5 of the weirdest HDB neighbour tales Singaporeans have shared on Reddit. The kind that makes you laugh, cringe, or count your blessings for your own neighbours.
1. The glove-clad lurker at 2:30am
Image credit: Newez
Everyone has probably read about experiencing screaming neighbours in the middle of the night. But every night? This isn’t just noise pollution, it’s an Olympic-level display of lung power. OP u/wooobeee even called the police once after the neighbour got into a heated shouting match with her son.
But here’s where it gets weird: beyond these nightly vocal displays, she’s been spotted loitering around OP’s doorstep every other day, inspecting their belongings. On one particular night at 2:30am, she even showed up wearing gloves, just standing there looking at OP’s belongings outside the flat.
2. The 20-year grudge
Image credit: Dennis Tan
Some people let bygones be bygones, but others hold onto a grudge forever. OP u/opsaur shared that their neighbour has spent the last 20 years deliberately slamming her door whenever they walk past.
As OP explained, “Apparently 20 years back our front door slammed really hard (it’s windy when it rains) and she was offended, so she kept it up ever since.”
Since then, she’s turned this door-slamming into a long-term commitment. Honestly, that’s some high-level grudge-holding.
3. The hoarder that attracted pests
Image credit: Jurong-Clementi Town Council
Not all hoarders keep to themselves. OP u/smalldog257 shared about his rubbish-collector neighbour who would spend hours stomping on aluminium cans as if it was his full-time job.
“The worst was when he’d spend hours stomping on aluminium cans in the corridor. The police and town council couldn’t really help. On days when we got up late he’d steal our newspaper too.”
As if the noise and theft wasn’t bad enough. Imagine the smells, and the insects that came with it. Living next to that might feel like a nightmare mix of racket, roaches and recycling gone wrong.
4. The case of sanitary pads stuck all over
Image credit: TheSmartLocal
Some mysteries just don’t need solving. OP u/itsmebobbylol shared a very straightforward but baffling case: someone was going around pasting sanitary pads all over the estate. No real harm done. No one knows who did it, but one thing’s for sure: they’re very rich, and very weird.
5. Using the public corridor as a toilet
Image credit: u/ewbugs
Some neighbourly habits are annoying, but this one’s downright unhygienic. OP u/Smart_Salamander8511 shared how his elderly neighbours would get their grandchild to do his business near OP’s doorstep. And this wasn’t a one-time thing…it happened repeatedly.
Eventually, they were eventually caught red-handed. But as expected, excuses came pouring in: “Kenna caught liao then act blur, say old liao don’t know what he doing, then grandchild still young listen to grandpa instructions.”
Call it bad toilet training, or just plain gross, but either way, corridor life will never smell the same again.
Weirdest HDB neighbour tales shared by SG redditors
If you’ve lived in an HDB long enough, chances are you’ve got your own stories to share. Judging from the Reddit comments, these tales often bring people together, bonded by equal parts frustration and humour.
This is, of course, a byproduct of high-density living. Just like in other countries with similar housing setups, you’re bound to come across your fair share of eccentric neighbours.
At the end of the day, these stories highlight the quirks and occasional horrors that come with everyday HDB life in Singapore.
If you’re looking for more neighbourly tales and stories, you might want to check these out:
- 7 notorious neighbours who made headlines
- Horrible neighbours made me move house 8 times
- We share 11 Singaporeans’ experiences with noisy neighbours
All images used are for illustrative purposes only
Cover image adapted from: u/ewbugs, TheSmartLocal
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