SINGAPORE — A Tampines resident has reportedly been sleeping in the common corridor and stairwell after accumulated belongings allegedly made it impossible for him to enter his own flat.
The 57-year-old man, identified only as Mr Wu, lives at Block 208A in Tampines. Neighbours said the situation has worsened in recent months, prompting repeated complaints and police reports over concerns about safety and hygiene.
Neighbours say clutter problem worsened
A 57-year-old neighbour told Shin Min Daily News that Mr Wu had lived in the block for more than 10 years and previously shared the flat with a roommate.
After the roommate moved out around six or seven years ago, Mr Wu allegedly began accumulating increasing amounts of belongings inside the unit.
According to the neighbour, the situation has become significantly worse over the past six months.
She said she had tried to persuade him to clear the flat, but he reportedly refused, saying that the belongings were not blocking anyone else’s way.
Sleeping in corridor and stairwell
Another resident said Mr Wu is now unable to sleep inside his own home because he cannot access the unit.
Instead, he has reportedly been spending nights in the common corridor or inside the block’s stairwell.
The 70-year-old resident said she had contacted the police more than six times within two months because of concerns surrounding the situation.
When a reporter visited the block, Mr Wu was reportedly found sleeping in the stairwell, where there was also a strong smell of urine.
Resident says he wants to clear the flat himself
Mr Wu acknowledged that he was aware of complaints from his neighbours.
However, he said he had been cleaning and clearing the flat himself and preferred to do so gradually.
He also said social workers had previously visited his home three times to help with clean-up efforts.
But he became reluctant to accept further assistance after some of his belongings allegedly went missing following the previous clean-ups.
As a result, he said he preferred to handle the situation himself.
Mobility and vision difficulties
Mr Wu also told the newspaper that he has faced difficulties walking since he was young.
He said he later developed diabetes and lost his eyesight in both eyes, and now relies on a mobility aid to get around.
He reportedly showed the newspaper a card from the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped.
His personal circumstances have added another layer of difficulty to efforts to deal with the heavily cluttered flat.
Singapore steps up action against severe hoarding cases
The case comes shortly after Singapore expanded its approach to handling severe neighbour disputes and hoarding cases.
From Sept 1, the Community Relations Unit model and mediation framework were expanded nationwide after being piloted in Tampines.
The Community Relations Unit is intended to investigate and intervene in severe hoarding and neighbour dispute cases when other attempts to resolve the situation have not been successful.
Authorities have stressed that early communication, understanding and mediation remain the preferred first steps, with stronger intervention reserved for more serious cases.
The bottom line
A 57-year-old Tampines resident has reportedly been sleeping in a corridor and stairwell after accumulated belongings allegedly made his own flat inaccessible.
Neighbours said the situation has raised concerns about hygiene and safety, with one resident reporting that she had contacted the police more than six times within two months.
The man said he is trying to clear the flat gradually but remains reluctant to accept further help after previous clean-up efforts allegedly resulted in some belongings going missing.
The case highlights the complex challenges surrounding severe hoarding, where concerns about public safety and neighbours’ well-being can overlap with an individual’s personal circumstances and reluctance to accept assistance.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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