Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals, the last resort for difficult disputes between neighbours, start 1st October 2015

1. The Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRTs), as part of the enhanced measures to tackle community disputes, will commence operations on 1st October 2015.

2. The CDRTs are constituted under the Community Disputes Resolution Act 2015, which was passed by Parliament in March earlier this year, and will be brought into force on 1st October 2015. The CDRTs will hear cases involving disputes between neighbours. Neighbours can consider filing a claim to seek legal recourse at the Community Justice and Tribunals Division of the State Courts. However, this is intended to be a last resort after all other efforts including community mediation have been exhausted.

3. The CDRTs are specialised courts which will only hear claims between neighbours over issues related to the enjoyment or use of places of residences. The claims must relate to conduct occurring on or after 1st October 2015. The CDRTs will emphasise mediation and will implement simple, streamlined procedures that are aimed at the effective resolution of cases. Hearings before the CDRTs will be informal and judge-led, where the judge can play a more active role in proceedings, by questioning witnesses or asking parties to produce evidence. By default, parties may not be represented by lawyers. At the hearing, the judge may decide whether to make certain orders, such as for damages to be paid, for the neighbour concerned to apologise to the complainant, or for the neighbour to stop doing a certain activity or take a particular course of action that resolves the cause of the dispute.

4. The CDRTs are part of the enhanced Community Dispute Management Framework. The three key aspects of the framework are:

   a) Cultivating good neighbourliness to prevent disputes from arising;

   b) Mediation as the primary means of resolving disputes: this includes informal mediation by neutral third-parties, such as grassroots leaders, or formal mediation conducted at the Community Mediation Centre; and

   c) When all attempts to resolve the conflict have failed, bringing the case to the CDRTs where a judge will have powers to order mandatory mediation, and issue orders and directions to resolve the matter.

5. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth continues to work with relevant agencies on public education efforts to cultivate good neighbourliness and to enhance the ground response to noise nuisances. A Community Warden programme is being piloted by the Singapore Police Force in two wards (Tampines North and Boon Lay). Community Wardens are civilian police assistants who help to manage severe cases of noise nuisances in the community at night. In response to public feedback, other upstream measures including informal and formal mediation have been strengthened.

6. Neighbours should communicate with each other to reach amicable solutions if they encounter problems. The responsibility for being considerate, good neighbours belongs to everyone.

Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth
1 October 2015