Defects should be fixed by developer, says Vivian

Defects in the new flats should be fixed by the developer, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Vivian Balakrishnan told residents of Trivelis, according to media reports.

Trivelis is an 888-unit Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) project in Clementi which has seen numerous complaints over poor furnishings.

Advertised as having choice fittings, units at the project cost between $370,000 and $800,000, with owners paying a premium over Build-to-Order (BTO) flats due to the fittings.

However, when some owners began collecting their keys in January, around 400 of them discovered problems such as poor quality laminate flooring, rusty dish racks and glass shower screens that shatter easily.

Moreover, the common corridor along 40 units was prone to flooding, with water rising by up to four centimetres during heavy rain and seeping into several units.

The developer, EL Development (ELD), should make good on these defects, said Dr Balakrishnan during a visit to the project on Saturday with fellow GRC MP Sim Ann.

He noted that residents should not have to get their feet wet just to get to their units.

Dr Balakrishnan, who also serves as Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, said he would also get the developer to review if the batch of glass shower screens used was defective and replace them if it was.

Ms Sim said many residents were looking for practical solutions, not perfection.

I think that is most reasonable. As long as the developer remains prepared to offer a meaningful gesture or package aside from rectifying defects, I would say things are on the right track, she said.

Meanwhile, ELD said it is in talks with the residents committee to come up with a goodwill package.

While the developer did not confirm on what the package could include, it revealed that it may extend the one-year warranty on fittings and furnishings.

I'm glad that the minister is here to see the issues that are faced by residents. We definitely look forward to more progress, said Trivelis Residents Working Committee spokesman Kevin Teh.

Image: Artist's impression of the Trivelis DBSS project in Clementi.

Romesh Navaratnarajah, Singapore Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg

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