Many of us live in high-rise buildings as compared to houses. Condominiums, where the rich and famous stay, rarely encounter any problem on its facilities and services. If there is any, it would be rectified promptly and this is matched with higher cost of maintenance fees.

The main concern in the above residential buildings is the security. The security in condominiums is stringent as compared to apartments. However, the flats will have very minimal security service. Well, what do you expect for low maintenance fees.

The tenants of apartments and flats must be careful with their vehicles. There seemed to be too many motorbikes and cars being stolen. My neighbour lost two of his motorbikes, one after another (we have about 10 security personnel working on shifts for the three blocks of apartments here).

Lift peril is another paramount issues of them all. I do not know whether there is any rule that need to be satisfied to decide as to the number of lifts an apartment need to have. In my place, an apartment with 250 units have two lifts (perhaps, this is the standard to most of the apartments).

Spoilt lifts seem to be common state of affairs and are the worst nightmares of most apartments and flats. Normally, there is one functioning lift instead of two. It is acceptable that one lift is spoilt but it is sickening to frequently experience both lifts being out of order. Imagine staying on the 12th floor! Imagine if you're a senior citizen or a child below 10-years-old.

To make matters worse, sometimes both lifts remain out of order for months. The maintenance firm would give various excuses, chiefly the cost to repair is ‘soaring high' and that many tenants "still owe maintenance fees".

However, high arrears in maintenance fees are unacceptable excuses since water supply would be terminated under such circumstances and would be reconnected, if a reasonable payment is made.

Minor robberies, involving housewives and those returning late from work, do take place within the apartment premises. However, this is quite remote (to be fair to everybody).

Another headache is the disruption in the utility supplies i.e. water and electricity. Disruption in electricity could be tolerated. However, not in the case of water supply. Imagine if there is no water supply for five days in a row.

One more hazard of staying in high-rise buildings is UDOs (not UFOs). It simply means Unidentified Dropping Objects. When we walk along the circumference of the apartment, anything can fall from above - it could be accidental or intentional. Whichever it is, we would be injured. I remember reading in the newspaper, a few years back, where a bicycle was thrown and a passerby was fatally injured.

It is quite peaceful and harmony to stay in most of high rise residential buildings (If you have good neighbors that is). However, if you look at the number of occupied units, one should be prepared for "tragedies or drama" to occur in any one of the 250 units any time and any day.

Staying in high-rise buildings could make one feel "under house arrest". Yes, because we are within the living room while we are awake or asleep. However in grounded residence, we can come out to enjoy the scenery, we have the porch for relaxation, recreation and space to park our vehicle.

But staying in high-rise buildings do have its own advantages. No flooding into your residence unless it is another tsunami. No stray or domestic animals within the compound of the residential buildings.

I would like to conclude by beseeching all the local authorities to create a special task force to oversee, control and enforce all that is needed for a trouble free living in high-rise buildings.