Strata Common Property
Explained

General guidance for 2026 — not legal advice. Strata matters are governed by the Strata Management Act 2013 & Strata Titles Act 1985; consult your COB or a lawyer. Renovating a strata unit? Ask us →

One of the most common sources of strata confusion — and one of the most common triggers for disputes — is the exact boundary between what you own individually and what the building shares. Getting this right matters for repairs, renovations, inter-floor leaks, insurance claims and liability assignments. The precise boundary is determined by the strata plan registered at the land office, which every owner can access through their lawyer or the land registry. When in doubt, check the plan rather than assuming.

Parcel vs common property

Your parcel is the unit you own — generally the internal space bounded by the walls, floor and ceiling. The walls, floor slab and ceiling themselves, and almost everything else — structure, shared services and facilities — is common property owned collectively by all parcel owners in shares set by share units →. If something is not clearly within your parcel’s boundaries on the strata plan, it is likely common property.

What counts as common property

• Corridors, staircases, lobbies and lifts.
• The roof, foundations, structural walls, columns and beams.
• External walls and the building facade.
• Common drains, pipes, wiring and tanks serving more than one parcel.
• Facilities — pool, gym, gardens, car-park common areas, guard house, playground.
• The land on which the building stands (and common areas of it).

Accessory parcels

An accessory parcel is an area used with, and belonging to, a specific main parcel — most commonly a car-park bay or a dedicated storeroom. It is shown on the strata plan, may carry share units of its own, and cannot be sold, charged or transferred separately from its main parcel. When you buy a unit, confirm what accessory parcels are attached — they affect your asset value, your charge, and your car-parking rights.

Limited common property

Limited common property is common property designated for the exclusive use of some (not all) parcels — for example, a lift lobby, corridor, or recreational facility serving only one block or tower in a multi-block scheme. It is created by the management body and maintained for the exclusive use of the benefiting parcels. Owners in other blocks do not have a right to use it.

Parcel types compared

Who maintains what

This is why your maintenance charge → funds common-area upkeep, while your own interior repairs and renovations are yours to handle and pay for.

Can you alter common property?

No — you cannot alter, encroach on or exclusively occupy common property without authorisation from the management body. That includes the facade and external walls, corridors, common pipes and wiring, and the roof. Renovations must stay within your parcel boundaries and follow the by-laws →. See strata renovation rules → and hacking walls →.

Repair responsibility

When something breaks or leaks, determining repair responsibility depends on whether the item is inside your parcel boundary or forms part of common property. The key questions are: does the item serve only your unit, or does it serve multiple units? And is it within the parcel boundaries on the strata plan?

• A pipe or conduit serving only your unit (within your parcel boundary) — your responsibility.
• A common pipe serving multiple units (runs through structure or common areas) — MC’s responsibility.
• The external wall and facade of the building — common property; MC’s responsibility.
• A defect inside your unit (floor tiles, internal walls, your windows) — your responsibility.
• A common drain or roof membrane serving the building — MC’s responsibility.

If there is a genuine dispute about whether an item is common property or within a parcel, obtain a copy of the strata plan from the land office or ask the management for the as-built strata plan. The plan is the authoritative document — it overrides any informal understanding about “whose side it is on”.

Common disputes

• Encroaching on corridors or common areas with shoe racks, bicycles, plant pots or unauthorised extensions beyond the parcel door.
• Inter-floor leaks — whose pipe it is and who is responsible for the repair. This is the most frequent strata dispute in Malaysia.
• Exclusive or unauthorised use of car-park bays that are common property (not individually allocated accessory parcels).
• Unauthorised changes to the facade or external walls — including window replacement, installation of grilles, and aircon compressor brackets on external walls.

Most disputes are resolved by reference to the strata plan and by-laws, or escalated to the Tribunal → if the parties cannot agree.