Strata House Rules & Fines
The RM200 Penalty (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 →

House rules in a strata scheme are grounded in by-laws — the legal rules that bind every owner, resident, tenant, and occupier. Understanding the difference between the prescribed by-laws and additional by-laws is the starting point for knowing whether a fine is valid. See our full guide on strata by-laws in Malaysia →.

By-laws: prescribed vs additional

The Strata Management (Maintenance and Management) Regulations 2015 set out the prescribed by-laws that automatically apply to every strata scheme in Malaysia. These cover core obligations: not obstructing common property, not causing nuisance, keeping your parcel in good repair, and similar baseline rules.

A JMB or MC may also pass additional by-laws by special resolution at a general meeting — these can extend or tailor the rules for the specific building (for example, rules on pet sizes, renovation hours, or short-term rental). Additional by-laws must be registered with the Commissioner of Buildings (COB) to be enforceable. A rule that was never passed as a proper additional by-law cannot form the basis of a valid fine.

The RM200 penalty explained

Under the Strata Management Act 2013 framework, a maximum penalty of RM200 is the commonly cited ceiling for a by-law breach imposed by the management body against an owner or resident. This figure comes from the prescribed by-law schedule in the Regulations — confirm the exact provision and whether your building’s additional by-laws specify a different (lower) amount with your COB or a strata lawyer.

Key points about the RM200 limit:

• It is a maximum — the committee may resolve to impose a lower amount for a first or minor breach.
• It applies per breach. Continued or repeated breaches may each trigger a separate fine.
• It is not automatic — the committee must follow a proper process (notice, resolution, record) before the fine is valid.
• It is separate from any Strata Management Tribunal or court order, which can award larger amounts as compensation or damages.

Due process before a fine is imposed

A fine imposed without proper due process is challengeable and may be set aside by the Tribunal. The standard process a committee should follow:

1. Identify the breach — confirm which specific by-law (prescribed or additional) has been broken and by whom.
2. Issue a written warning or notice — inform the owner/resident of the alleged breach, the specific by-law, and what corrective action is required.
3. Allow a reasonable opportunity to respond or remedy — the resident should have a chance to explain or rectify the breach before a fine is levied.
4. Committee resolution — the decision to impose a fine should be made by the committee (not unilaterally by the manager) and recorded in the minutes.
5. Issue the fine in writing — state the amount, the by-law breached, and the payment deadline. Inform the resident of their right to dispute.

For nuisance-related breaches, see also our guide on handling strata nuisance complaints →.

Recording the breach properly

Good record-keeping protects the committee and the management body. For each fine imposed, the committee should maintain:

• A description of the breach and the date it was observed.
• Evidence (photographs, security footage, written complaints from other residents).
• Copies of all written notices served on the resident, with dates.
• The committee resolution and minutes showing the fine was duly approved.
• Proof of service of the fine notice on the resident.
• Records of payment, or details of follow-up if unpaid.

These records are essential if the resident disputes the fine at the Strata Management Tribunal or if the management body needs to take recovery action.

Repeated breaches

A resident who repeats the same breach after paying a fine may be fined again for each subsequent breach — up to the RM200 ceiling each time. Persistent non-compliance escalates the management body’s options:

• Escalating fines for each repetition (within the permitted maximum).
• Referral to the Strata Management Tribunal for a compliance order, not merely a fine.
• In serious cases (danger to others, structural damage), the management body can seek urgent relief from the COB or Tribunal.

See how the JMB handles enforcement in our JMB responsibilities guide →.

Common house-rule breaches and typical fines

Tenant vs owner liability

A by-law binds every occupier — not just the registered owner. However, the registered parcel owner remains ultimately responsible for ensuring that their tenant or other occupier complies. In practice:

• The management body may serve notice on the owner even if the tenant committed the breach, especially if the tenant is unknown or uncontactable.
• Owners should include a by-law compliance clause in their tenancy agreements and inform tenants of house rules at the start of the tenancy. See tenant obligations in strata →.
• A fine levied against the owner can be recovered from the maintenance account or treated as a debt recoverable through the Tribunal.

How to dispute a fine

If you believe a fine is wrongly imposed, you have several options:

1. Write to the committee — request a review, explain why the fine is wrong or the process was not followed, and provide your evidence.
2. Raise it at the next AGM or EGM — bring it as an agenda item for owner discussion.
3. Complain to the COB — if the management body is acting improperly or the fine has no valid by-law basis, lodge a complaint with the Commissioner of Buildings at the relevant local authority.
4. File at the Strata Management Tribunal — the Tribunal handles disputes between owners/residents and management bodies, including disputes about fines. See the Tribunal guide →.

Do not simply ignore a fine even if you dispute it — dispute it in writing promptly so the record shows you acted in good faith.

What management cannot do

The management body has real but limited powers. It cannot:

• Impose a fine for a rule that is only a management notice, not a validly passed by-law.
• Exceed the RM200 maximum per breach through an internal resolution alone (a higher penalty would need Tribunal or court involvement).
• Deny access to the common property or cut utilities as a penalty — such actions are not authorised under the by-law regime.
• Apply a fine retroactively for conduct that pre-dates the relevant by-law being passed.
• Impose fines without a committee resolution — the manager acting alone is not sufficient.

Practical tips for committees

• Keep an updated copy of the prescribed by-laws and all registered additional by-laws and give every new resident a copy.
• Standardise your notice and fine letter templates to ensure due process is consistently followed.
• Record every fine imposed in the committee minutes and maintain the evidence file.
• Always warn before fining for a first-time, low-severity breach — it demonstrates fairness and is harder to challenge.
• Consult the COB or a strata lawyer before passing a new additional by-law — the drafting and registration process must be correct.

Summary: by-law fine process at a glance