Disputes with the Family and Neighbours

There are disagreements within the family or with others.

There are disagreements within the family or with others.

There are disagreements within the family or with others.

There are disagreements within the family or with others.

Disagreements and conflicts with others may cause stress and anxiety.

 

If you are feeling overwhelmed, call the 24-hour National Mindline at 1771 to speak with a trained counsellor who will listen without judgment.

If you are caring for a minor (below 21 years old)

 

As a general rule, it is preferable that joint parental responsibility for a child's welfare be maintained. If you disagree with the other parent on the decisions for your child, options include:

  • Approach a Family Service Centre (FSC): Trained counsellors and social workers at FSCs can assist individuals and families in working through their relationship problems. 
  • Family mediation: Mediation through the Singapore Mediation Centre can help families reach agreement without going to court.
  • Court application: If no agreement can be reached, you can apply to the Family Justice Courts for a court order on custody, care, and control of the child, or on specific decisions relating to the child.

 

If you are caring for an adult (21 years old and above)

 

If the adult has mental capacity, family members cannot override his or her decisions.

 

If the adult lacks mental capacity:

  • Family members should try to agree on decisions based on what would be in the person's best interests.
  • Mediation through the Singapore Mediation Centre's family mediation services can be a helpful first step. The Community Mediation Centre can also mediate family disputes concerning the care and maintenance arrangements for elderly, sick or disabled family members. 
  • If there is a dispute about who should make decisions concerning the person's affairs, the matter may be brought before the Family Justice Courts, where the court can appoint a deputy (if one has not been appointed) or make specific orders.

 

In all cases, consider seeking help from a family service centre or social worker to support family communication and reduce conflict.

This is a sensitive situation that requires empathy on all sides. Here is what you can do:

  1. Open a conversation: If it is safe to do so, speak with your neighbour calmly and explain the situation. Understanding that your family member has an intellectual disability may help the neighbour respond more constructively.
  2. Seek community support: Contact your grassroots leaders for help with informal mediation. Find your nearest Community Centre and its contact information here: https://www.onepa.gov.sg/cc.
  3. Mediation: Apply for mediation with the Community Mediation Centre, which helps neighbours resolve disputes without going to court. If the dispute remains, parties may consider filing a claim at the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT). You can refer to a guide on the SG Courts website on how to file or respond to a neighbour dispute claim: https://www.judiciary.gov.sg/civil/file-neighbour-dispute-claim.
  4. Noise and nuisance measures: Consider practical steps to reduce disturbances, such as soundproofing, adjusted schedules, or engaging a day programme for your family member to provide structured activity outside the home.
  5. Legal recourse: As a last resort, persistent unreasonable complaints by a neighbour or harassment of your family member may be actionable. Consult a lawyer if you believe your family is being treated unfairly.

Under the Protection from Harassment Act 2014 (POHA), harassment includes the use of threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with the intent to cause harassment, alarm, distress to another person, and as a result causing the person alarm or distress.  The POHA makes such conduct an offence whether committed in the physical world or online, unless it can be proven that the person’s conduct was reasonable. A person who intentionally causes harassment, alarm or distress to another person shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both. Enhanced penalties apply where the offence is committed against a vulnerable person.

The steps available to you include:

  1. Report to the police if the conduct involves threats, physical violence, or criminal behaviour.
  2. Apply for a Protection Order under the POHA. If the victim is an adult with mental capacity, he or she can apply for a Protection Order under the POHA against the harasser. A Protection Order may be granted if the court is satisfied on a balance of probabilities that: (a) the respondent has contravened the POHA in respect of the victim; (b) the contravention is likely to continue, or the respondent is likely to commit a further contravention; and (c) the grant of a Protection Order is just and equitable in all the circumstances. 
  3. Apply for an Expedited Protection Order in urgent cases where immediate protection is needed.
  4. Bring a civil claim under the POHA for damages.

 

You can refer to the SG Courts’ website for a guide on how to file a protection from harassment application: https://www.judiciary.gov.sg/civil/how-to-file-serve-protection-from-harassment.  

Find out more:

 

Legal Guidance and Representation: 

  • Legal Aid: Check what legal aid you can apply for here (Note: legal aid is for individuals unable to afford a lawyer, and the application process will likely involve means-testing).
  • Find a Lawyer: If you do not qualify for legal aid, you may find a lawyer using the following directories:

 

Social assistance: 

  • Call the national mindline 1771: An initiative by the Ministry of Health's National Mental Health Office. It aims to provide emotional support to callers in distress, and connect them to appropriate mental health services.
  • Call, walk in or email an FSC for help on family, socio-emotional, interpersonal or other social issues. To find the FSC in your neighbourhood, call the ComCare hotline at 1800 222 0000 or refer to the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s FSC directory. 
  • Counselling services offered by the Strengthening Families Programme (FAM) centres. Ministry of Social and Family Development: FAM centres provide a suite of counselling services relating to marital and/or family concerns, which include divorce support related services and programmes.