A 31-year dispute between a woman and her elderly mother culminated in a High Court ruling against the daughter on 9 May 2025, after she was evicted from the family condominium in 2021.
Rita Kishinchand Bhojwani had been living rent-free with her parents since 1994, when she moved into their home with her son, reported Shin Min Daily News.
She continued this arrangement when they relocated to a condominium in 2010, where her 91-year-old mother Maya paid the S$6,000 monthly rent as a director of the family’s real estate business.
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The family conflict began on 2 Mar 2021, when Rita applied for Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) on behalf of her 93-year-old father, who had lost his mental capacity.
She discovered her father had already selected her brother as the donee in a durable power of attorney agreement.
Rita claimed her brother pressured their father into this arrangement and that her father lacked the mental capacity to sign such a document. She filed a lawsuit to contest the LPA in Family Court.
She also applied for a protection order, accusing her brother of domestic violence.
Family Business and Property Dispute Leads to Eviction
Rita’s father founded the family real estate company in 1968, with her mother serving as a director. The company purchased the East Coast area apartment in 2007, and the family moved in three years later.
The situation escalated when Rita’s mother supported her brother in both legal matters, even providing an affidavit on his behalf.
Just one week before the protection order trial, on 23 Aug 2021, Rita’s mother and another director named Cindy passed a board resolution limiting residents of the apartment to only Rita’s parents and three maids, prohibiting Rita from living there.
When Rita attempted to return to the condominium on 25 Aug, security stopped her.
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Her belongings had been packed into boxes and placed in the corridor.
According to Shin Min Daily News, Maya claimed Rita’s dissatisfaction began when she discovered her parents had willed all family properties to her brother.
Rita reportedly became aggressive afterwards, often shouting, filming her father’s actions and conversations between her mother and brother, and demanding her mother sign unknown documents.
High Court Dismisses Claims Due to Lack of Evidence
In response to her eviction, Rita sued to restore her right to reside in the condominium.
She claimed that when she first moved in back in 2010, she had an agreement with her parents and the family business that she could live there without paying rent.
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Rita also filed for compensation for hotel accommodation costs after her eviction and for emotional distress. She accused her brother of manipulating their mother to evict her.
The High Court judge who heard the case found that Rita’s prima facie evidence was not good enough to support her claims.
The judge noted that while her father had allowed her to live in the family property rent-free and promised to provide her with financial support, this was not an unconditional agreement.
The court also pointed out that Rita had not worked outside the family business for 26 years, and received a S$2,000 salary and S$1,000 allowance monthly.
According to the judge, it appeared she had chosen to rely on her parents for financial support and deliberately chose not to work elsewhere.
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