Overcrowded East Coast shophouse illegally occupied by 18 migrant workers, landlord shocked during inspection

A food operator is under investigation after workers were found living in overcrowded conditions at a private residential property in the East Coast area, following reports made to the authorities.

Information about the case was provided by a complainant, who inspected the property and alerted the authorities.

The tenants in the property allegedly worked for a local food and beverage company.

Beds and mattresses cramped into rooms

The owner of the property, Lim, told Mothership he first discovered the situation after returning from a holiday and inspecting the unit, where they found numerous bed frames, mattresses and personal belongings indicating that far more people were living there than permitted.

Based on his observations, the property appeared to have been furnished to house around 18 people, despite being a three-storey terrace shophouse with five rooms.

Some individuals were also allegedly sleeping on the floor.

Photographs shared with Mothership showed beds and mattresses placed closely together in rooms, with many pairs of shoes left outside the property, signs that raised concerns about overcrowding.

Women’s clothing and children’s toys were also found.

Neighbours had also raised complaints about the situation, the complainant said, citing the large number of occupants and the amount of rubbish generated.

Food waste was allegedly disposed of improperly, raising concerns about hygiene and the potential attraction of pests.

The overcrowding was said to have gone on for about three months, from late October 2025 to January 2026.

Workers clueless about tenancy

The workers staying at the property were apparently restaurant staff, kitchen workers and cooks.

According to Lim, the workers said they had been instructed by a manager known as “Umar” and his sister, “Aadhila”, to stay at the property.

The pair had allegedly helped the workers find accommodation.

The workers appeared to be unaware of the tenancy arrangements and did not know who was formally responsible for their housing needs.

Owner discovered overcrowding during unannounced inspection

Lim, said he only became aware of the overcrowding after conducting an unannounced inspection of the shophouse along Marshall Road, reported Lianhe Zaobao.

Lim told Zaobao that had rented the shophouse out through a property agent to a restaurant owner, who said they intended to house around seven staff members.

When confronted, the restaurant owner claimed the premises had already been vacated and suggested that some employees may have invited friends to stay.

The tenant allegedly refused to leave without a formal eviction notice, prompting Lim to lodge a complaint with the authorities.

Enforcement action taken and workers relocated

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) have since confirmed that investigations were carried out and that enforcement action is being taken.

In a joint response, MOM and URA spokespersons said they received a report in November 2025 regarding potential overcrowding at a private residential unit.

Following a joint inspection, the agencies found that the allowable occupancy cap had been exceeded and issued a warning to the main tenant to rectify the situation.

A follow-up inspection in January 2026 confirmed that all workers had been relocated to other approved accommodation, the spokespersons confirmed.

MOM and URA said they would like to remind property owners and employers that private residential properties are subject to an occupancy cap of six unrelated persons, or up to eight occupants for larger private residential properties registered with URA under the Planning Act.

Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, employers are required to ensure that their migrant workers reside in acceptable accommodation that complies with statutory requirements.

Employers who fail to do so may be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both, for each charge.

Top photos provided by Lim