New unit proposed to resolve severe neighbourly disputes
A new government unit will be given powers to investigate and issue abatement orders that require individuals to stop making noise that disturbs their neighbours, under proposed laws to better address severe disputes.
The authorities on Aug 12 set out calibrated powers that the Community Relations Unit (CRU) will get to resolve serious neighbourly disputes related to noise or hoarding under the Community Disputes Resolution (Amendment) Bill, which will be introduced in Parliament later in 2024.
Besides giving warnings or abatement orders, CRU officers will be able to issue a direction requiring neighbours to go for mediation, or install noise sensors in homes to collect data on the direction, timing and intensity of noise after obtaining consent from residents in the affected units.
The CRU will step in only after neighbours have failed to resolve disputes among themselves, said the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Ministry of Law and Ministry of National Development (MND) in a joint statement.
The ministries said noise sensors will address the current gap, in which sound recordings made by complainants are often not useful in determining the volume of the sound as playback can be distorted.
Noise sensors can also be deployed in common areas such as corridors, said the ministries, adding that the sensors are an option for parties to prove their case – not a requirement – and will not be installed if complainants do not give consent.
To safeguard privacy, the data gathered will be transmitted in real time to Singapore-based servers with strict access controls for processing only, while raw recordings will not be stored, the ministries said.
Besides piloting the CRU, the Bill will make two other broad changes to the Community Dispute Management Framework to provide a wider range of options for the minority of cases that cannot be resolved by the community.
Under the framework – introduced in 2014 to manage quarrels between neighbours – warring parties are encouraged to try to settle their problems through mediation before they file a claim with the tribunal, which will adjudicate on the matter.
The first broad change aims to encourage greater use of community mediation to resolve neighbour disputes at an early stage, while the second will grant the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT) enhanced powers to resolve cases brought before it more quickly and effectively.
The CDRT remains an avenue of last resort for severe disputes that cannot be resolved by mediation or the CRU, said the ministries, adding that neighbours will generally be required to go for mediation first before filing a claim with the court.
The CDRT’s new powers will include issuing interim orders to provide quick relief, as well as mandatory treatment orders for those believed to be causing disturbances due to a mental health condition.
Stressing that the Bill aims to facilitate harmonious living, the ministries said: “These enhancements will strengthen, not replace, the ability of the community to come together early and resolve their differences as good neighbours.”
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