SINGAPORE: Ms Chen YL often feels like a “criminal” whenever she takes her two dogs out of her condominium unit. The 35-year-old software procurement lead said that if she is caught walking the dogs within the condominium’s premises, she would be slapped with a S$200 (US$154) fine. At her condominium in the eastern side of Singapore, a by-law does not allow dogs to walk anywhere on the ground floor.
This extends to areas near the pool, barbecue pits, function room and gym. A by-law is a rule that residents must follow while living in a condominium. “It’s gotten quite dramatic, to a point where some of our neighbours have to go through the car park to bring our dogs to the back gate, which is quite sad,” she said.
“It feels like you’re doing something wrong, but you’re just walking your dog.” Over at Park Place Residences in Paya Lebar, former resident Clara Chung said she was not allowed to sit on the chairs or near the tables around the swimming pool area after 10pm, as it would be deemed too “noisy” even if she was alone. Once, her bicycle was confiscated because her resident tag was not “visible enough”.
“The tag is literally a cable tie,” said the 34-year-old marketing director, who never retrieved her bicycle. She said it was too troublesome, as the management office closed before she ended work and the condo management offered no alternatives for her to collect her bicycle. Talk to condominium residents and complaints about overly punitiv.