JMB Responsibilities & Duties
Strata Management Act 2013 (Malaysia)

General guidance for 2026 — not legal advice. The Strata Management Act 2013 and its 2015 Regulations govern this; confirm specifics with your Commissioner of Buildings (COB) or a strata lawyer. Need strata repair/maintenance help? Ask us →

A JMB (Joint Management Body) is not a voluntary association — it is a body corporate created by the Strata Management Act 2013. As a body corporate it can sue, be sued, hold funds, and enter contracts. With that legal status comes a set of statutory duties that the JMB and its elected Joint Management Committee (JMC) are obliged to carry out. Failing these duties is not merely poor governance; it can expose the management body and its committee members to complaints, orders, and liability. See our JMB complete guide → for the broader context.

Overview: the JMB’s legal standing

The JMB comes into existence on the date the developer convenes the first AGM — which must happen within twelve (12) months from the date vacant possession is delivered. Once formed, it is a body corporate consisting of the developer and all parcel owners. Day-to-day management is delegated to the elected Joint Management Committee (JMC). The JMB operates under the oversight of the Commissioner of Buildings (COB) at the relevant local authority and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Strata Management Tribunal for disputes.

For a comparison of the JMB with the Management Corporation (MC) that succeeds it, see JMB vs MC →.

Duty 1: Maintain and manage common property

This is the JMB’s most visible and fundamental duty. The JMB must properly maintain and manage the building and common property and keep them in good repair. “Common property” covers everything outside the individual parcels: corridors, lifts, stairwells, roofs, facade, car parks, lobbies, landscaping, pools, gymnasiums, building services (water tanks, drainage, electrical infrastructure), and all shared equipment.

In practice this means:

• Carrying out routine preventive maintenance (cleaning, inspections, servicing of equipment such as lifts, pumps, and generators).
• Responding promptly to repair requests from owners and residents.
• Commissioning periodic structural or engineering inspections for ageing buildings.
• Maintaining the Certificate of Fitness for Occupation (CFO) and any machinery certificates (e.g., DOSH Certificate of Fitness for lifts).
• Planning capital works using the sinking fund.

A JMB that allows common property to fall into serious disrepair — and takes no action — is in breach of its statutory duty and can be ordered by the COB or Tribunal to remediate.

Duty 2: Determine and collect Charges and sinking fund contributions

The JMB must determine, impose, and collect two levies from all parcel owners:

• Charges (maintenance fees) — the regular monthly contribution to cover the operational costs of managing and maintaining common property (cleaning, security, utilities, routine maintenance, insurance premiums, management fees).
• Sinking fund contributions — a separate fund set aside for periodic and major works (lift overhauls, roof replacement, external repainting, major structural repairs).

Both levies are apportioned by share units — each parcel owner pays in proportion to the allocated share units of their parcel, not as a flat fee per unit. The sinking fund contribution rate is commonly expressed as a percentage of the Charges, though the exact rate depends on the building’s capital expenditure plan. Confirm rates with your COB or committee.

Owners who default on these levies can be pursued under the SMA 2013. For the recovery process, see service charge defaulters →. For how the charge rate is set, see setting the maintenance charge →.

Duty 3: Effect building insurance

The JMB must effect and maintain insurance on the building. At minimum, this covers:

• Fire insurance — covering the building (structure and common property) against fire and related perils.
• Public liability insurance — covering the JMB against liability to third parties arising from the common property (e.g., a visitor injured in the lobby).

These are statutory minimum coverages. A well-run JMB should also consider consequential-loss cover, machinery breakdown cover for lifts and pumps, and professional indemnity for the committee where appropriate. The insurance premiums are part of the annual budget funded from Charges.

Owners of individual parcels are responsible for their own parcel contents insurance — the JMB’s insurance does not cover parcel interiors, owner belongings, or owner-installed fixtures.

Duty 4: Keep proper accounts and arrange audit

The JMB must prepare and maintain proper accounts for both the maintenance account and the sinking fund account. These must be:

• Kept in separate bank accounts in the JMB’s name.
• Maintained with accurate records of all income (Charges collected, interest) and expenditure (works, management fees, insurance, utilities).
• Audited annually by a qualified auditor.
• Made available to owners and to the COB on request.

The audited accounts must be presented at the AGM. An owner who cannot get sight of the accounts — or who suspects irregularities — can complain to the COB or file at the Strata Management Tribunal. See JMB compliance checklist → for what records the COB expects.

Duty 5: Convene the AGM

The JMB (acting through the JMC) must convene an AGM at the intervals prescribed by the SMA 2013 and its Regulations. The AGM is the owners’ primary accountability mechanism — it is where the committee reports on management, presents audited accounts, passes the budget, sets the charge rate, and submits itself for re-election. Failing to hold an AGM is a serious breach that owners can report to the COB.

Owners can also requisition an EGM when urgent matters require a general meeting between AGMs. See how to call an EGM →.

Duty 6: Maintain registers and records

The JMB must maintain a set of registers and records, including:

• A register of parcel owners — name, address, parcel details, share units.
• Minutes of all general meetings and committee meetings.
• Copies of all contracts entered into by the JMB (maintenance contractors, managing agent, insurance policies).
• The by-laws (prescribed and any additional by-laws registered with the COB).
• All financial records, invoices, and bank statements for the maintenance and sinking-fund accounts.
• Any correspondence with the COB.

These records must be available for inspection by parcel owners. Proper record-keeping is also essential for the smooth handover to the MC when strata titles are issued.

Duty 7: Enforce the by-laws

The JMB must enforce the by-laws that govern the scheme. The by-laws include:

• Prescribed by-laws under the Strata Management (Maintenance and Management) Regulations 2015 — baseline rules on nuisance, obstruction, use of parcels and common property.
• Additional by-laws passed by special resolution and registered with the COB — building-specific rules (pet rules, renovation hours, short-term rental restrictions, etc.).

Enforcement means issuing warnings, imposing fines (up to the maximum permitted under the Regulations), and escalating to the COB or Tribunal for persistent non-compliance. The JMB must enforce the by-laws consistently — selective enforcement weakens the by-laws and exposes the committee to challenge. For the fines framework, see strata house rules & fines →.

Duty 8: Comply with COB notices and orders

The Commissioner of Buildings has supervisory powers over strata management bodies. Where the COB issues a notice or order — requiring the JMB to carry out works, produce records, convene a meeting, or take a specific management action — the JMB is legally obliged to comply. Failure to comply with a COB order is itself a breach of the SMA 2013 and can result in escalating consequences.

Duties at a glance: summary table

Who carries out the duties: JMB vs JMC vs managing agent

Consequences of failing statutory duties

A JMB that neglects its statutory duties is exposed to:

• COB investigation and orders — the COB can compel the JMB to act, appoint a managing agent, or take over management.
• Strata Management Tribunal claims — individual owners can seek orders requiring the JMB to perform duties, produce accounts, or compensate for losses arising from neglect.
• Personal liability of committee members — in cases of wilful default or breach of fiduciary duty, individual committee members may face personal liability, especially where the management body is uninsured or funds have been misused.
• Difficulty in MC handover — a JMB that has not maintained proper records or accounts will create serious problems at the point of handover to the MC.

Tips for a well-run JMB

• Adopt a written annual management plan at the start of each year listing all planned maintenance works, inspection dates, insurance renewal, and AGM date.
• Maintain a master records file (physical or digital) for all key documents: by-laws, contracts, insurance policies, audited accounts, AGM minutes, COB correspondence.
• Hold regular committee meetings (monthly or at least quarterly) and keep proper minutes.
• Engage a qualified auditor early — waiting until the last moment before the AGM risks delays in presenting audited accounts.
• Communicate proactively with owners: publish the AGM date, distribute the budget and draft accounts in advance, and respond to owner queries promptly.
• Seek guidance from the COB whenever you are unsure about your obligations — it is far better to ask first than to face a complaint later.