Located along East Coast Road, Heritage East condominium’s mechanised carpark system has reportedly been inactive for more than a year.
The Strata Titles Board has given the management council (MC) of Heritage East condominium four months to fix the Katong development’s mechanised carpark system, following a complaint from a homeowner, reported The Straits Times.
Notably, water from a fire sprinkler which was activated by smoke coming from a condo unit led to the shutting down of the condo’s fully automated mechanised carpark in September 2015. The carpark has remained closed ever since.
Frustrated by the 18-month shutdown, Ker Lee Ping sought an order from the board for the MC to rectify the carpark system and pay her damages for the loss of use of the carpark.
The board noted that MC had been in negotiations with Chris-Ray Engineering, which is the carpark’s sole agent, for the restoration works. However, the negotiations had been on the standstill as the two parties failed to agree on maintenance terms.
In ordering the restoration of the system, the board – which dismissed Ker’s claim for damages – pointed to the MC’s duty under the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act.
“(It) is in contradiction to the (MC)’s mandatory statutory duty to maintain the common property in a state of good and serviceable repair.”
“Such matters cannot be left in a limbo until the (MC) finds, at its own time and pace, a solution. The (MC), having taken one year and six months (and counting) in attempting to resolve the matter, reflects a lack of a sense of urgency on their part in tackling the problem.”
The board underscored that the MC’s dispute with Chris-Ray cannot justify the “inordinate delay in restoring the carpark to working condition”.
With this, the board called the MC to explore other options.
This article was edited by Denise Djong.
