With nowhere else to stay, a man has been sleeping in a makeshift tent outside his mother’s cluttered Boon Lay flat for the past few months.
But the 40-year-old told Shin Min Daily News that the living arrangement is temporary and he will be moving out soon.
His elderly mother and teenage nephew have been living in the two-room rental flat at Block 191 Boon Lay Drive for the past four years, he said.
The food delivery man had sought refuge at his mum’s place five months ago as his application for a rental flat was unsuccessful.
“I’m only staying here temporarily,” he said. “I’ll be collecting the keys and moving to my new home next week, so I won’t continue staying here.”
Due to his mother’s habit of accumulating items, the flat is filled with clutter and only has room for two occupants, he explained.
Hence, the man had no choice but to sleep outside the house.
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“It has been raining a lot recently and people on the upper floors would often throw down their cigarette butts, so I pitched a tent as a shelter,” he said, adding that he would remove the tent in the mornings.
Prior to moving in, the man also explained his reasons for pitching a tent to other residents living on the same floor, and they expressed understanding for his plight.
Several neighbours also told the Chinese evening daily that some noises can occasionally be heard from the flat, but they were not inconvenienced by the tent along the common corridor.
The family’s situation came to light following a Stomp report, in which a reader expressed concern over safety issues as he noted that several personal mobility devices were parked near the cluttered flat.
Town council providing assistance
A spokesperson from the West Coast Town Council told Stomp that they are aware of the situation and have reached out to the family, adding that the town council is also working closely with relevant agencies to provide assistance to the family involved.
“Meanwhile, we have done safety checks on-site, and have advised the family to do regular housekeeping in reducing items placed in the common corridor,” said the spokesperson.
“The town council, along with the relevant agencies, will be visiting the affected family again and conducting checks to improve the situation.”
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