Sky-high major repairs forced into per-flat shares, elderly owners struggle to pay

A single major-repair notice demands that each flat pay a one-off share of nearly six figures in works costs — an amount approaching a tenth of the flat's value, with the priciest option reaching several hundred thousand dollars per flat. Local consumers report that such repair motions often lack any independent, impartial building survey, with the contractor or engineering consultant unilaterally drawing up a 'fix everything' list, leaving owners unable to judge which works are genuinely necessary and which are simply padded expenses.

For retirees who rely solely on fixed assets, being asked to produce a large sum of cash after finally paying off an old flat is almost unaffordable, and there is no quick way to cash out. Behind it lie structural problems including old-building owners' corporation decision-making, tender oversight and even suspicions of bid-rigging; in the wake of recent similar old-building repair incidents, whether the regulatory framework and accountability mechanisms are sufficient to rein in ballooning costs remains an unresolved dispute.