Sometimes, the biggest property issue you can encounter isn’t inside the house. If you’re unlucky, the next-door neighbour or the one directly upstairs can be the source of infinite headaches, whether it’s in the form of a leak or, knock on wood, a fire.
So what should you know when property damage from somewhere else reaches your doorstep or ceiling? Take note of these things and adjust your game plan accordingly.
1. THIRD-PARTY INSURANCE ISN’T MANDATORY FOR PRIVATE HOMES
Home content insurance sure has a lot of bizarre perks, like paying for groceries when your fridge goes down and whatnot. But the often overlooked feature is a third-party liability. This is for situations when your fire or leak causes damages to your neighbour’s unit instead.
Insurance with third-party liability may be mandatory for cars but apparently not for private housing (for HDB flats, it’s mandatory under the Home Protection Scheme, though).
This means that, if your neighbour’s leak causes your fake ceiling to sag and look like the beginnings of Jewel Changi Airport’s indoor waterfall, they may not be able to pay you the S$10,000 or so needed to fix it. Sure, you could sue them – but that will probably just compound your costs with legal fees if they genuinely have no money for your repairs.