When Management Won't Act
COB & Remedies

General guidance for 2026 — not legal advice. Strata management is governed by the Strata Management Act 2013; consult your COB or a lawyer for your situation. Renovating a strata unit? Ask us →

Owners often feel powerless when management is poor — but the Strata Management Act 2013 → gives you a clear escalation path. The key is to act methodically and on paper. Frustration and confrontation rarely fix anything — documented, formal steps do. This guide walks you through exactly what to do, from the first written complaint all the way to a Tribunal filing.

Common problems owners face

• Common property not maintained (lifts, pumps, security, cleaning).
• Accounts not produced, or suspected financial mismanagement.
• No AGM held, or owners’ requests ignored.
• Charges collected but services declining.
• Committee acting in self-interest or beyond its powers.
• Developer delaying the handover of management — see developer handover →.

Step 1 — raise it properly

Put the issue in writing to the management, request a response, and raise it at the next general meeting →. Ask to inspect the records and accounts — you have that right. Document everything.

A written record is crucial. Verbal complaints are easily denied or forgotten. An email or letter with a clear request and a deadline for response establishes the paper trail you will need if you escalate.

Step 2 — complain to the COB

The Commissioner of Buildings (COB) at your local authority regulates strata management. Lodge a written complaint with your evidence. The COB oversees both developers and management bodies and can compel action. Bring:

• Your written complaint letters and the management’s responses (or silence).
• Photos of unmaintained or unsafe common property.
• Evidence of the specific breach (missing accounts, lapsed certificates, etc.).

What the COB can do

• Direct the management to carry out its duties.
• Appoint a managing agent to take over a failing scheme.
• Require accounts, audits and the holding of meetings.
• Take enforcement action for breaches of the Act.

Step 3 — the Strata Management Tribunal

For specific, defined disputes — failure to maintain, recover or repair — file at the Strata Management Tribunal → (claims up to RM250,000, no lawyers needed). Its orders are binding. The Tribunal can also award compensation and order works to be carried out.

COB complaint vs Tribunal: which route to use

Alternative — change the committee

Sometimes the fastest fix is new leadership. Owners can convene an EGM → to remove and replace the committee or managing agent. A motivated group of owners can turn a building around.

Suspected fraud or theft of funds

If money is missing or accounts are falsified, this is potentially criminal — demand the audited accounts, escalate to the COB, and lodge a police report. Misappropriation of strata funds is a serious offence. Save bank statements, invoices, and any suspicious payment records. Where possible, get a second owner to co-sign the police report — it lends credibility and shows this is not a personal grievance. The COB can also compel the management to allow an independent audit if the committee refuses to produce proper accounts.

Build your case

• Keep dated photos of unmaintained common property.
• Save all written requests and the (non-)responses.
• Request and review the accounts →.
• Rally other owners — collective action carries more weight.
• Keep a chronological log of incidents: date, what happened, who you told, and the outcome.

A strong complaint file makes the difference between a COB officer taking your case seriously and filing it away. The more specific, dated, and well-documented your evidence, the faster and more effectively the regulator can act on your behalf.

Escalation path in summary

Throughout this process, keep in mind that the goal is a well-managed building — not just winning a dispute. A change of committee or managing agent, combined with a financial health check, often achieves more than years of escalation against an entrenched management. Start with the collaborative approach, but do not hesitate to use the formal escalation path if the building’s safety or financial integrity is genuinely at risk. Owners who act together carry far more weight than individuals acting alone — build your coalition before lodging the complaint.

For the specific process to review the scheme’s accounts as part of this investigation, see reading strata accounts →. For the rules on common-property defects, see common-property defects →.