It's hell instead of paradise

It’s hell instead of paradise

10/03/2008 The Star

I BOUGHT an apartment at Chogm Villa Langkawi for my retirement and as a escape from the English winters.

I moved in in August 2006 and since that time whenever I come back to Chogm Villa it's like living on a building site.

There is no end to the drilling, hammering and hacking as apartments are redesigned and reconstructed. A major redesign started in a duplex apartment beneath mine on Nov 26, 2007 that included the drilling of concrete floors and hacking and knocking down of walls.

The works started without the permission of the local council. Despite writing several letters to the local council and the site owners I have not been able to stop the work.

This has caused a major disruption to my life as I am at home for most of the day. I have also had to cancel visits by friends whom I normally invite as guests to spend some time of the winter here.

Three times I have had to move into a hotel when the noise became particularly unbearable.

I came to Langkawi expecting a little peace and quite in my retirement from a very stressful job that caused me high blood pressure. The stress of my former job is nothing to the stress and distress that I have had to endure for the last 100 days.

I came expecting a bit of paradise and I found I am living on building site hell.

RONALD E. PARKER,
Langkawi.