SINGAPORE: A 16-year-old Singaporean has opened up online about a painful and almost unbelievable situation at home: Her father refuses to contribute even a single dollar toward the family’s rent.
She shared her story on the r/askSingapore subreddit, explaining that this has been going on for years. Recently, the situation escalated after the family received an “immediate attention” notice for overdue rent, warning that action would be taken if payment was not made. Despite the seriousness of the notice, her father reportedly refused to help.
According to the teenager, when her mother showed him the letter, he simply brushed it off, saying, “not my problem,” as if the rent belonged to someone else entirely
Sadly, money isn’t the only issue. The teen explained that her father’s behaviour at home has become unbearable.
“He used to smoke cigarettes on the balcony, but now he smokes cigarettes INSIDE THE BEDROOM, where everyone sleeps as well, so we have to constantly sleep in a room with the smoking smell,” she said.
The teen also alleged that her father has been taking money from her and her sister. “We usually keep money in a piggy bank, but then money started disappearing, and it was clear who had it. I don’t know how much he has taken from my sister, but he stole about S$300 from me before I realised.”
“I am scared of what may happen in the near future,” she wrote, explaining that she finally reached out because she no longer knows how to cope with the mounting stress and uncertainty.
She ended her post asking Singaporeans what she can do to protect herself and how she can support her mum, who has been quietly carrying the entire burden on her shoulders.
“Kick him out since he won’t pay.”
Under the post, many commenters criticised the woman’s father for shirking all his responsibilities onto her mother, with some even labelling him a “deadweight.” They also suggested the family consider cutting ties with him.
One shared, “As someone who went through this, just cut him off ASAP. He won’t ever change his attitude and will continue dragging the family down. CUT HIM OFF ASAP.”
Another echoed this sentiment, stating, “Kick him out since he won’t pay. Simple as that. Technically, your mom is the one paying and the sole breadwinner. Ask your mom to divorce him and kick him out of the flat. Then get a protection order in case he disturbs the family.”
A third commented, “Sounds like a deadweight. Since the house is a rental, you, your sister, and mum should move out at the earliest opportunity and rent another place without your dad.”
A fourth added, “Damn. I saw this and immediately felt better about my parents. If possible, move out, take part-time jobs to help pay rent, or maybe contact MSF.”
In other news, a Singapore-based employee has sparked discussion online after sharing that their employer suddenly reassigned them to a much farther work location after they submitted their resignation letter.
The worker, who quit for personal reasons, said they fully intended to serve their notice “properly,” with no plans to take MC and every intention of ensuring a smooth handover. However, their morale plummeted after their boss suddenly informed them that they would have to work at a different location until their final day.
