The air well on the fifth storey is strewn with litter.
Along the corridors, dirt and stains accumulate.
This is the current state of Grandlink Square, an eight-year-old mixed development on Guillemard Road, with 71 residential and 112 commercial units.
Residents there are unhappy. Their complaints range from the neglect of the estate to rising maintenance fees.
The last straw came when the residents found out they may have to pay extra to park their own cars at the estate.
This was to be discussed at an extraordinary general meeting last Saturday.
Residents allege that they are often out-voted in issues concerning the estate.
This is because they form the minority in the management council - three residents against 11 from the commercial units.
The New Paper spoke to four residents, who requested anonymity.
Said one resident: 'I bought this property for nearly a million dollars.
'At first, I thought this would be a viable investment as I could benefit from having shops right at my doorstep.
'I did not expect this estate to be so poorly maintained over the years. Now even my daughter is embarrassed to hold her 21st birthday party at home.'
Residents at Grandlink Square are currently paying about $250 a month as maintenance fees.
The fees cover the cost of cleaning the estate, maintaining the swimming pool and sauna, and carpark charges.
Residents also suggest that there should be a provision in the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act to protect the welfare of residents in a mixed estate, especially with more such developments coming up.
The residents claimed they have written to the Building and Construction Authority, and one of them said he is prepared to go through the proper channels.
For that, they hope the estate's managing agent - DTZ Tie Leung - can assist them.
When contacted, a spokesman for DTZ Tie Leung said the daily maintenance of the estate has been looked into regularly.
The spokesman said there had been very few complains about the general cleanliness of the estate.
Property experts The New Paper spoke to felt the residents should work within the current framework of the law to resolve the issue.
Said Mr Colin Tan, research head of the property consultancy group Chesterton Suntec International: 'The only recourse for the residents is to go to the Strata Titles Board. They should make a case and complain that their residential common areas have been neglected.'
Mr Nicholas Mak, director for research and consultancy at Knight Frank, said: 'If they have grievances over how the present structure can't help them resolve these problems, they should bring it up to the relevant authorities.'
Sing Keng Loon, newsroom intern
This article was first published in The New Paper on January 13, 2009.
