Renovations Upstairs!

Last week, one man and a woman came to our place, requesting to view our kitchen and toilet ceilings. They claimed to be the contractors for the unit upstairs, and said that they wanted to see the condition of our ceilings and take photos of them.

As I was in the showers, M didn't just open the door for them. She told them to come again 20 minutes later. They did.

When I answered their knock on our door, I told them that I do not agree to their taking photos although I would not mind letting them view the ceilings. The woman, who was the more 'diplomatic' one, claimed that they would file the photos with HDB so that it would facilitate investigations if any issue should arise from the renovation works that they are going to carry out in the unit above ours.

I told her off, asking her from where there has come such a 'ruling' or regulation. She quickly said sheepishly that there isn't any. These people are really one kind, they probably think they can casually mention 'HDB' and scare me into letting them take photos! Not only did her trick not pull off, I even told her that digital photography these days is so powerful, I wouldn't be sure what will be done to enhance or remove from the photos.

So, after a brief look (the man kept harphing on the brown spot in the kitchen toilet ceiling and the brown stain just at the mouth of the sewerage pipe in the kitchen ceiling, both of which had been around for some time now), they left. But not before I told them off when they tried, once again, to 'scare' me by telling me that the unit is now owned by a new owner (who has engaged them) and so the brown spots should not be regarded as having been caused by them.

"Now, you must be aware that when the new owner bought over the unit, everything about it becomes inherited by him. Any defect whatever, will now be his responsibility!" I told that man, who then shut up.

On Saturday, R and I brought the boys for their usual lessons. M told us later that another couple, this time, the new owners, came and asked to see our ceiling (again!). M correctly declined to let them in.

R and I agreed that we are under no obligation to let anyone to come in to see anything, anymore. And we are both getting very suspicious of this group of 'new owner' stuff. Are they trying to find some excuses to excuse themselves from being reponsible for any damage that they may cause to our ceilings in the course of their renovation works?!!!! Crazy people!

I have decided that I will not hesitate to humiliate them for their stupidity should they come again. And definitely, I will look to HDB should any damage be caused to our ceilings, brown spot existing or otherwise.

As I type now, workers above us are hecking and hammering and drilling away. What a din this is! Fortunately, WY has supplementary lessons today and so will be back only later. Meanwhile, M and I are just trying not to hear the noise........