After years of peaceful living, a woman cites a noisy parrot as the reason for selling her flat, highlighting ongoing noise pollution issues among residents.
After 13 years of tranquillity, a woman has been compelled to sell her flat in Bedok due to the incessant squawking of her neighbour’s parrot, which disrupts her sleep in the middle of the night and early morning.
The 45-year-old woman, known only by her surname Wu, made the decision to sell her Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat at Block 620 Bedok Reservoir Road because of the disturbances caused by the bird. “I’ve lived here for 13 years and have always been comfortable until a year ago when the tranquillity was broken,” she shared with the Chinese language newspaper Shin Min Daily News.
Ms. Wu explained that the parrot was kept in a cage along the corridor, and her neighbour would begin whistling from 7 PM, provoking the parrot to screech in response. “The situation would last until 10 PM, and it didn’t stop. On weekends, it would get worse, making it hard for us to sleep,” she expressed.
Initially, out of consideration for maintaining a good relationship with her neighbours, Ms. Wu refrained from voicing her concerns. However, she ultimately felt that her silence had been taken for granted. “I grew to hate going home because of the impending noise at night. I couldn’t bear the thought of returning after a busy day as I knew I wouldn’t be able to rest,” she lamented.
Having already found a buyer, she must endure a few more months in the flat until the sale is finalized in February next year.
Another resident revealed to Shin Min Daily News that she had resorted to wearing earplugs at night, yet the noise remained audible. In response, a male occupant of the unit in question stated that the owner would “return” the parrot but did not elaborate further.
It appears that noisy pet birds are a prevalent issue among HDB residents. One Facebook user, Jennifer C L Loh, questioned the existing HDB regulations: “I don’t understand HDB laws. Cats and big dogs can be banned, but what about birds? At times, birds are just as noisy as roosters in the morning.”
While some argued that these birds are part of nature and that minor noises shouldn’t lead to drastic actions, others acknowledged that the squawking of parrots can become a form of noise pollution.
“Parrot squawking can really be irritating indeed—extremely loud. Owners need to be considerate to their neighbours,” commented Facebook user Melissa Chia, whose post received over 265 likes.
Another resident shared, “I have a neighbour who keeps parrots, and they’re placed in the corridor, constantly yelling. Quite annoying, even when we’re more than four units apart.”
In a rather extreme sentiment, one user admitted, “I totally understand her situation. I’ve even dreamt about poisoning my neighbour’s parrot on many occasions.”
Facebook user Kalaivani Murugesan suggested that covering the cage at night might alleviate the problem.
