SINGAPORE: An HDB tenant, an international student holding a student pass, has allegedly suffered an asthma attack after his landlord repeatedly smoked inside the unit.
In a post on the r/asksg forum on Tuesday (Jan 20), the tenant said he had informed his landlord about his asthma condition early on.
Despite being aware of his medical condition, the landlord allegedly continued smoking indoors and did not take his concerns seriously.
“I [eventually had] an asthma attack that sent me to the hospital. I told them about it, but they still don’t give a damn,” he wrote.
“I tried to ask them if they can stop smoking inside the HDB until I can move out (they said they can), but still smoke in the middle of the night. I already told them I can still smell it and they’re trying to blame it on each other (two smokers, one dad, one son)… I don’t think they understand the gravity of what they’re doing.”
The tenant also said that Singapore is “a nightmare for people with asthma”.
When he first arrived in the city-state, he believed that smoking regulations would be strictly enforced, especially given the government’s firm stance on vaping.
However, he said his experience suggested otherwise, as he frequently observed people smoking in non-designated areas.
“I walked outside today and passed 3 smokers within 5 min at different areas. And they have the audacity to look at you badly when you cover your mouth (smoke comes in my mask, so I cover it)!” he wrote.
The tenant then turned to the forum community to ask whether people are legally allowed to smoke inside their own homes, and how such situations typically work when tenants are involved.
“Smokers here are very selfish.”
In the comments, one Singaporean Redditor responded, “Smokers can smoke within their own dwellings, unfortunately. I would say Singapore is already quite smoke-free by comparison to a lot of places, though some people have observed increased smoker activities due to the banning of vapes.”
Another remarked, “Smokers here are very selfish and don’t want to breathe their own smoke in and don’t care who else they make sick.”
A third wrote, “Didn’t you smell the smoke when you came for viewing before you rented? Since it’s a rental, just rent another place when the lease is up. Or just break it and move. Your landlord ain’t gonna stop smoking for you, so it’s better to help yourself if it’s bothering your health.”
A fourth added, “Depends a lot on luck in such matters. I’ve rented before, but fortunately never had many issues with housemates who smoke. Maybe you can try investing in an air purifier if moving out is not an option in the near future.”
According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), smoking is prohibited in any common areas within “residential buildings, atrium, courtyard, common corridor, lifts, lobby, void deck, and stairwell.”
Smoking is only permitted inside private residences, personal vehicles, and designated open spaces within residential estates.
Read more: Man asks, ‘Is there a bias in Singapore against people with foreign accents?’
