Singapore legislation
Section 60
Section 60
Closing and demolition, etc., of insanitary dwellings
(1)
When a Medical Officer of Health or a Public Health Engineer has certified in writing that in his opinion any building or part of a building or anything attached to a building used or occupied as a dwelling is unfit for human habitation and cannot be rendered fit therefor without the removal, alteration or demolition in whole or in part of any partition, compartment, loft, gallery, pent-roof, out-house or other structure or erection or without the execution of such alterations or structural operations as he specifies, the Commissioner may by notice in writing require the owner thereof to carry into effect all or any of the following:
the removal, alteration or demolition of the whole or a part of the partitions or other erections or obstructions complained of;
the execution of such operations or structural alterations as are necessary to render the premises fit for human habitation and to guard against danger of disease.
(2)
The notice shall appoint not less than 24 hours in advance for the commencement of the operation enjoined and shall specify the period within which the operation shall be completed.
(3)
If the notice has not been complied with within the specified period, a Magistrate’s Court may, on the application of the Commissioner, make a mandatory order requiring the owner to carry into effect all or any of the things specified in that notice.
(4)
Any person who, without the express sanction in writing of the Commissioner, replaces any partition, erection or obstruction removed under subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000, and the Commissioner or any person authorised by him in that behalf in writing may enter upon such premises and remove such partition, erection or obstruction.
(5)
The Commissioner may also, by notice to be posted in a conspicuous position upon the building, require the owner or the occupiers, as the case may be, to cease to inhabit the building and to remove all goods, furniture and effects from the building within 48 hours from the posting of the notice.
(6)
The owner and every occupying tenant shall thereupon comply with the requirements of the notice.
(7)
Any owner or occupier in default shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50 a day during the period in which he has failed to comply with the requirements of the notice.
(8)
At the expiration of 48 hours from the posting of the notice mentioned in subsection (5), the Commissioner or any person authorised by him in that behalf in writing may remove all goods, furniture and effects from the building.
(9)
The notice mentioned in subsection (5) shall be in the Malay, Chinese, Tamil and English languages.[61