Share units quietly decide how much you pay and how much say you have in your condo. Here is what they are, how they’re set, and why they matter.
General guidance for 2026 — not legal advice. Strata matters are governed by the Strata Titles Act 1985 and Strata Management Act 2013; consult your COB or a lawyer. Renovating a strata unit? Ask us →
Share units are one of the most important — and least understood — numbers in strata living. They are the statutory basis for splitting costs and governance power fairly between parcels of different sizes and types. Every parcel has share units; every strata owner is affected by them every single month through their maintenance charge and every time a poll is taken at a general meeting. Understanding your share units helps you check that your charge is correct and know your weight in a vote.
Each parcel is assigned a number of share units that represents its proportionate share of the development. A bigger or higher-value unit gets more share units; a small unit gets fewer. Share units appear on the strata title, in the schedule of parcels, and on the management’s charge notice. See our strata title guide →.
They are computed by a formula under the Strata Titles Act 1985 (First Schedule), based primarily on the parcel’s floor area, with weightages applied for factors such as the type of parcel (residential vs commercial), floor level, and accessory parcels (such as car parks and stores). A licensed land surveyor computes and certifies the allocation as part of the strata subdivision application. The allocation is fixed at the time of subdivision and appears in the strata register.
| What share units determine | How they work |
|---|---|
| Maintenance charge & sinking fund | Your share units ÷ total share units = your % of the building’s charges |
| Voting weight on a poll | More share units = more weighted votes on contentious issues |
| Share of common property | Your undivided ownership share of common property is proportionate |
| Quorum & resolution thresholds | Counted by share units for special resolutions and poll quorum |
| Parcel type | Relative share units | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Large residential unit (e.g., 1,500 sq ft) | Higher | Pays more, has more poll votes |
| Small residential unit (e.g., 700 sq ft) | Lower | Pays less, has fewer poll votes |
| Accessory parcel (car park bay) | Some share units added | Cannot be sold separately from main parcel |
| Commercial unit in mixed development | Set separately; may be higher per sq ft | May sit under a subsidiary MC |
Your monthly charge is your share units multiplied by the rate per share unit set by the management. This is why two differently sized units in the same building pay different amounts even if the rate is the same.
Full detail in our maintenance fee & sinking fund guide →.
On routine show-of-hands votes, each parcel has one vote — regardless of size. But when a poll is demanded for important or contentious decisions, votes are weighted by share units — so a large-unit owner with 200 share units has far more influence than a small-unit owner with 80. This is intentional: those with a larger financial stake in the building have more say on major decisions. See strata AGM & meetings →.
An accessory parcel (e.g., a car park bay or storeroom attached to your unit) can carry additional share units and cannot be sold separately from the main parcel. When buying, check what accessory parcels your unit includes — they affect both your monthly charge and the total value of your asset. A unit with two car-park bays has more share units (and pays more) than an identical unit with one bay.
Your share units are stated on your strata title document (if issued) and in the schedule of parcels held by the management body. Ask the management office for a copy of the schedule or check your title document directly. Your monthly maintenance charge notice should also show the rate per share unit applied, so you can verify the arithmetic independently.
Owners sometimes feel their share-unit allocation (and therefore their charge) is unfair compared to neighbouring units of similar size. Because the allocation follows the statutory formula and is certified by a licensed land surveyor, successfully challenging a correctly computed allocation is difficult and rarely succeeds. However, genuine computational errors or omissions — for example, an accessory parcel not counted, or a transcription error in the floor area — can be raised in writing with the management body. If the management does not act, the matter can be escalated to the COB or filed at the Strata Management Tribunal →.
One important point: if you believe your share units are wrong, check the strata plan and the schedule of parcels in the land registry — these are the authoritative documents. Compare your parcel’s stated floor area with your actual floor area. Small discrepancies are common in older buildings and are usually correctable with the land surveyor’s assistance.
This guide cites Malaysian legislation and official bodies. Always confirm current rates and rules with the official source:
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