SINGAPORE – A tenant and his landlord engaged in a bitter argument when he was moving out after seven years, with the latter accusing him of failing to hand over the apartment in its original state.
The landlord refused to return the security deposit, as he needed the money for reinstatement work, while the tenant insisted on a full refund.
But at the end of a 2½-hour mediation session with court volunteer mediator Ng Lee Lee at the State Courts’ Small Claims Tribunal (SCT), the pair compromised and hugged each other.
Ms Ng, 61, was one of 27 court volunteers recognised and honoured at the Judiciary Volunteers Appreciation Lunch at the Grand Hyatt Singapore on Nov 26.
There were three award categories: the Outstanding Court Volunteer Award, the Legal Assistance Scheme for Capital Offences Long Service Award, and the Long Service Award for those who have served for 10 years and 15 years.
Ms Ng, a contract manager with a construction contract consultancy firm, was one of the recipients of the Outstanding Court Volunteer Award. She has been mediating SCT cases since September 2014.
In the tenant-landlord dispute, Ms Ng appealed to the two men’s emotions by pointing out that the landlord had seen the tenant’s children grow up in the rental apartment.
She told them during mediation: “Why do you let this little blip destroy (everything)? Do you want to preserve the relationship?”
