At Lakeview Estate in Upper Thomson Road, ageing lifts have become more than an inconvenience. The 49-year-old development has three blocks, with each lift serving alternate floors. When one breaks down, residents on those floors — including the elderly and wheelchair users — lose lift access entirely. Replacing all 12 lifts would cost approximately $1.8 million, yet the estate’s sinking fund held barely $1 million as of August 2025.

Lakeview Estate is far from unique. Many of Singapore’s older condominiums were built in the 1980s and 1990s, and they are now reaching the stage where major infrastructure begins to deteriorate. Compounding the problem, many of these estates did not collect adequate sinking funds over the years, particularly as maintenance costs have risen steadily.

The Government is reviewing the Building (Strata Management) Act, with a range of proposed reforms. These include improving financial transparency within management corporations, lowering voting thresholds so that essential maintenance works can be approved more quickly, and exploring minimum requirements for sinking fund contributions along with the ring-fencing of funds for maintenance and upgrades.

Second Minister for National Development Indranee Rajah said on 4 March 2026 that the Government is also studying whether to partially fund lift and escalator safety upgrades for condominiums and other older private buildings, particularly to meet the needs of senior residents.

While such co-funding could provide some relief for estates in older developments, it also raises questions about fairness and responsibility. Unlike HDB flats, condominiums are private property, and justifying the use of public funds for repairs that do not directly benefit the average taxpayer is a complex issue.

At present, management councils may ask owners to pay special levies for urgent works, which can run into tens of thousands of dollars per household. Such sudden costs are especially burdensome for elderly residents with limited or no income.

Collecting payments is another challenge. Some owners delay paying or refuse outright. While strata title law allows the management corporation to force-sell a unit to recover what is owed, the legal process is slow and often contentious. One unintended outcome of government co-funding could be that some estates hold back on maintenance in the hope of qualifying for government support later, which would worsen the very problem the policy aims to solve.

Some owners may hope for a collective sale as a way out. A successful en bloc sale gives owners a chance to sell their units — often at a premium — and move to a newer home without having to bear the cost of major repairs.

However, the reality is that not many ageing estates successfully go en bloc. Over the past decade, fewer than 10 per cent of older condominiums have been sold collectively, with many attempts falling through due to lack of consensus among owners or limited developer interest. As a result, residents in many such estates have little choice but to stay on and fund refurbishment works themselves.

Some management corporations have explored taking loans to fund major works, but lenders may be cautious about extending credit to ageing developments with limited reserves. Repayment also poses a challenge, particularly for older residents.

For current owners of ageing condominiums, the message is clear: financial planning for major repairs cannot be deferred indefinitely. Owners who are unable to afford rising costs may need to consider selling and moving elsewhere before conditions deteriorate further.

For prospective buyers, particularly those looking at resale units in older estates, this is a reminder to look beyond the purchase price. The state of the sinking fund, upcoming maintenance requirements, and the age of critical building systems such as lifts and plumbing should all form part of any buying decision.

Ultimately, keeping ageing condominiums liveable will depend on whether owners take collective responsibility, plan early, and share costs fairly. Because when lifts fail, the question is not just who should pay — it is whether the estate planned early enough to afford repairs when the time comes.