HDB Flat With DIY Solar Panel Worries Residents.
image via Lianhe Wanbao
With the earlier pandemic outbreak, there is quite some number of a citizen who has lost their jobs. As one of the residents from HDB flat on the Punggol area was spotted installing a large two-meter long solar panel out of the flat on eight-floor.
Other residents around this area arise concern as the panels can weight from 10kg to 20kg and with the position of the solar panel which is just on top of common area where resident burn paper offerings might be quite risky.
Photo by Zhangxin Zheng
Photo by Zhangxin Zheng
The homeowner’s wife mentioned that the solar panel was installed around 3 months ago after the husband has lost his job as an engineer before the Covid-19 pandemic and therefore, the family of five can only harvest the electricity from the solar panels to save up on electricity bills. However, the panels are removed from the updates from local news reports.
While there are no specific rules under the Housing Development Board (HDB) (Common Property and Open Spaces) Rules, with regard to the installation of solar panels by apartment owners, it might be considered as an obstruction of the common property if the ledges are defined as “common property”.