37 year-old corporate travel manager Melinda Teo is suing Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) to get a refund for the service and conservancy charges (S&CC) she paid to them between November last year and May this year.
According to Teo, who lives in Parkland Residences, a Design, Build and Sell Scheme estate, she said she should not have paid the fees to the Workers' Party (WP) as it took over the management and maintenance of the property only since 1st June.
Before that, the project's developer, Kwan Hwee Investment, had to step in to clean the common areas.
Earlier this month, more than 300 residents of Parkland Residences petitioned AHPETC to waive or refund their S&CC. But their appeal was not answered by either the town council or the Workers' Party MPs, said Ms Teo.
AHPETC has said that it has to compensate Kwan Hwee Investment for the maintenance work done before 1st June, and as such, it would not be returning the S&CC rates to residents.
According to a court document issued by the Small Claims Tribunal to AHPETC, a representative of AHPETC must attend a meeting on 2nd July. Otherwise an order would be given against AHPETC in its absence, which could include mandatory compensation to the claimant for claims below $10,000.
Ms Teo said she decided to go down the legal route as "our e-mails and petition have only received the silent treatment from the MPs and town council". She added that several neighbours have expressed interest in filing similar claims with the tribunal.