Community Disputes Resolution (Limitation of Powers and Duties) Regulations 2025

No. S 186

Community Disputes Resolution Act 2015

Community Disputes Resolution
(Limitation of Powers and Duties)
Regulations 2025

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 13Z of the Community Disputes Resolution Act 2015, the Minister charged with the responsibility for the Municipal Services Office and Part 2A of the Act makes the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations are the Community Disputes Resolution (Limitation of Powers and Duties) Regulations 2025 and come into operation on 24 March 2025.

Categories or types of unreasonable interference in relation to which powers and duties may be exercised or performed

2.  For the purposes of section 13G(1)(a) of the Act, the categories or types of unreasonable interference in relation to which the powers and duties of the Director‑General, Directors, Deputy Directors, Senior Assistant Directors, community relations officers and auxiliary community relations officers may be exercised or performed are the following:

(a) the causing of excessive noise;

(b) the accumulation or stockpiling, in a place of residence, of excessive or unconstrained things or material that —

(i) a reasonable person would consider to be of low or no value or no utility in the circumstances; and

(ii) is of a nature or in a quantity that causes unreasonable interference to the individual’s neighbour such as excessive smell or the infestation of pests.

Degree of seriousness or severity of excessive noise before powers and duties may be exercised or performed

3.—(1)  For the purposes of section 13G(1)(b) of the Act, the unreasonable interference of causing excessive noise must in the determination of the Director‑General be serious and severe before the powers and duties in Part 2A (other than sections 13K and 13M) of the Act of the Director‑General, Directors, Deputy Directors, Senior Assistant Directors, community relations officers and auxiliary community relations officers may be exercised or performed.

(2)  The Director‑General may in making his or her determination under paragraph (1) —

(a) do so on the information or evidence alleged or disclosed on the face of the complaint and any document or material submitted in support of the complaint without any further investigation or other action; and

(b) consider any of the following factors:

(i) the alleged volume or intensity of the alleged excessive noise;

(ii) the time at which the alleged excessive noise is alleged to occur and the duration for which it is alleged to occur;

(iii) whether the alleged excessive noise would reasonably be expected to occur in the course of ordinary daily activities;

(iv) any possible impact that the alleged excessive noise may have on the daily activities of the individual’s neighbour;

(v) whether there was any prior attempt by a public agency, mediator or other neutral party to facilitate dialogue or resolution between the individual and the individual’s neighbour in relation to the complaint and if so, the outcome of the attempt.

(3)  To avoid doubt, the limitations in this regulation do not apply to the unreasonable interference mentioned in regulation 2(b).

Geographical area in which powers and duties may be exercised or performed

4.—(1)  For the purposes of section 13G(1)(d) of the Act, the geographical area in which the powers and duties of the Director‑General, Directors, Deputy Directors, Senior Assistant Directors, community relations officers and auxiliary community relations officers may be exercised or performed is the Town of Tampines declared in an order made under section 3 of the Town Councils Act 1988 for the time being in force.

(2)  The geographical area mentioned in paragraph (1) excludes any property that is not vested in or held in trust for the Housing and Development Board established under the Housing and Development Act 1959.

Made on 20 March 2025.

MELVYN ONG SU KIAT

Permanent Secretary (Development),
Ministry of National Development,
Singapore.

[AG/LEGIS/SL/49C/2020/2]