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 Useful
Services for the home
moving in |security |upkeep of home | repairs |
inventory |small matters
Moving in to a new home in a new country can be a trying experience.
It helps to have a helping hand to point the way. While we can't help
you settle down in Singapore and get used to the weather here, we can
certainly try to ease the pain a little by providing the following
information. You may ask - how in the world does this chap know what it
is like....how does he manage to get his information. Well - the
hard way. Raymond took care of expatriates' needs for his company, a
foreign bank which in the hey day had close to fifty expatriates, not
counting the family members, in Singapore. He did this for about ten
years when he was a premises officer. He was moved around the bank for
the next seven years and before resigning from the bank in 1995, he was
a private banker. Anyway, that's history.
Let's get back to the present.
MOVING IN
If your company has got a rental apartment or a house for you, fine.
What you need to do is to make sure that you check the inventory of the
place carefully and annotate any damages before pointing them out to the
person doing the inspection of the place with you. Keep a copy of the
inventory handy. You never know when you will be leaving Singapore and
you will need this important set of papers. If the property company is
also taking care of the maintenance of the place, get his/her contact
number, as well as the numbers for his/her pager, mobile phone and if
possible ask for a 24-hour contact number. Also, get a list of the
maintenance companies the property company has appointed to take care of
the aircon, pest control and other things such as plumbing.
If your company has provided you with a company-owned apartment/house,
it is likely that your company has a premises officer to take care of
the place. Get his contact numbers as well as a list of maintenance
companies involved in the upkeep of the place. First and foremost-rely
on yourself. In case he/she can't be contacted, at least you have some
numbers you can dial immediately. Some problems can't be put on hold.
SECURITY
If you are lucky, your new home
comes with a wall safe in the master bedroom. Make sure you have a spare
key. If not, get one duplicated. If the safe is a Chubb safe, you can go
to their office to get one done straightaway. Chubb keys can't be
duplicated at local shops.
Chubb Singapore Pte Ltd
207 Kallang
Bahru Singapore 339343
Tel: (65) 6292 8421 Fax: (65)
6298 7310
If you do not have a safe, invest in a safe deposit box at any of the
following banks:
Standard Chartered Bank Raffles Place Branch
Tel: (65) 6225
8888/ 6535 3522
6 Battery Road Singapore 049909
Scotts Mall Branch
Tel: (65) 6225
8888/ 6535 3522
1 Scotts Road #01-01 Shaw Centre Singapore 228208
It's good to keep an eye open when you have maintenance staff in your
home. Singapore may be one of the safest places in the world, but
there's always a possibility someone may have light fingers. Just be
careful but polite. No tipping please, it's not practised here except in
hotels and restaurants or night spots.
UPKEEP OF HOME
Pest Control
You may get problems with rats, cockroaches or lizards (Geckos). Call
the pest control chaps below:
To catch lizards, these people may place traps resembling matchboxes on
the walls- be prepared for this eyesore.
PestBusters Pte
Ltd
Tel: (65) 6288 2828 (24 hours)
Vector Control
If you find a
bee hive within the grounds of your house or within the grounds of the
block you are staying in, call the pest control chaps. If the bee hive
is located on public property, call the government vector control people
below:
Vector Control (mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, rodents &
fleas)
Vector Control
& Research Department Ministry of the environment
Tel: (65) 6731 9789
Supernatural Happenings
Some places,
especially old buildings, may be haunted. Raymond has had expatriates
who have complained of people knocking on their doors in the wee hours
of the morning. So, before you even move in, try to check out the place
first by asking questions. Best of all, ask the neighbours discreetly.
Your property officer may know something, but he/she may not want to let
out the information to you.
REPAIRS
General carpentry, renovation,
painting, plumbing, changing of locks, etc
Johnson Decoration Contractor
350D King
George's Ave King George's Building Singapore 208579
Tel: (65) 6292 9522 Fax: (65) 6292 2076
JDC
has served expatriates of some foreign banks for many years, and has
easy access to expatriates' premises because its staff can be trusted.
Speak to the boss directly- he is Mr Tok Yew Seng.
Electrical, plumbing and air-con breakdowns
NTUC
Income (24-hour household services)
Tel:
(65) 6788 6616
E-mail: household@income.com.sg
INVENTORY
Crockery
Noritake (The Blue
Danube is available here)
304 Orchard Road #01-39 Lucky Plaza Singapore 238863
Tel: (65) 6733 7029
Pavillon Christofle
391 Orchard Road #01-19A Ngee Ann City Singapore 238872
Tel: (65) 6735 7490 Fax: (65) 6735 6973
E-mail: christofle@pacific.net.com.sg
Royal Copenhagen (S) Pte Ltd (They even have a cafe which uses
their crockery)
333 Orchard Road
#01-09 Mandarin Hotel Shopping Arcade Singapore 238867
Tel: (65) 6737 9810 Fax: (65) 6734 5360
Robinsons
Centrepoint
Orchard Road
Tel: (65) 6733 0888
Opening hours: Sun - Thu 10.30 am - 8.30 pm
Fri - Sat 10.30 am - 9.30 pm
Electric
appliances
Goh Sin Huat Electrical Pte Ltd is a perennial favourite of expatriates.
492 Tanglin Halt Close Singapore 148810
Tel: (65) 6467 4833 Fax: (65) 6474 0933
Curtains/upholstery
Laura Ashley Japan Co
Ltd
391B Orchard Road Ngee Ann City Singapore 238872
Tel: (65) 6834 0515
Fax: (65) 6834 0514
Au Furnishing
& Textiles Pte Ltd (They have done work for expatriates)
2 Jalan Raja #03-26 Singapore
329134
Tel: (65) 6355 2288 Fax: (65) 6355 7171
Cleaning Services (house/curtains/upholstery)
Berkeley
Cleaning Pte Ltd
12 Tuas Ave 8 SITA House Singapore 638896
Tel: (65) 6862 3228 Fax: (65) 6862 2852
Nafa System
Services Pte Ltd
Blk 153A Serangoon North Ave 1 #02-462 Singapore 551153
Tel: (65) 6282 3836 Fax: (65) 6284 2674
SMALL MATTERS
Party Attire
Children's Party Dress Company
277 Orchard Road #03-45 Specialist Shopping Centre Singapore 238858
Tel: (65) 6737 1968 Fax: (65) 6738 7289
Delivery of newspapers
The Straits Times (local daily)
Business Times
Tel: (65) 6749 2577 Fax: (65) 6746 1925
Sharpening of scissors and
knives.
Pow
Li (specialises in sharpening
of scissors; price around S$8)
32 New Market Road People's Park #02-1062 Singapore
Tel: (65) 6535 2450
Handy-Man Centre
(FE) Pte Ltd
1 Scotts Road #04-04/07 Shaw Centre Singapore 228208
TeL: (65) 6737 7815 Fax: (65) 6732 7124
Xinghe Knife
Sharpening Service
Blk 74 Geylang Bahru #01-2876 Singapore 339682
Tel: (65) 6293 2286 Fax: (65) 6297 1857
Live Christmas trees (available during Christmas only)
Cold Storage Supermarket
Contact them directly at (65) 735 1215 (Takashimaya Branch) or call
their dial & Deliver Service at (65) 6344 1661 fax at (65) 63441522.
Website: Cold Storage
Classified
advertisements
The
Straits Times
CATS@sph.com.sg Tel: (65)
1800 289 9988 Fax: (65) 6319 8228
Post Office
Matters
Singapore Post Pte Ltd
Web site: singpost.com
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in Singapore? Read THIS!
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Relocating to Singapore - Useful
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