Where Your Maintenance Fee Goes

Every month, you pay a maintenance fee. Here’s what it pays for — and why the numbers work the way they do.

The Big Picture

1,120 units × average fee = ~RM X/month total budget This is the MO’s budget to run a small town of ~3,000-4,000 people .

Imagine a town with 5 apartment blocks, a swimming pool, gym, badminton court, function hall, playground, parking structure, security posts, CCTV network, and landscaping across several acres. That’s what your maintenance fee pays for.

Where the Money Goes (Typical Breakdown)

These are national averages for Malaysian high-rise condos. Your specific building’s breakdown may vary.

MAINTENANCE FEE — TYPICAL BREAKDOWN (per RM100 collected)

██████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  30% — Security
████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  20% — Cleaning & Pest Control
████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  15% — Lift Maintenance
████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  10% — Utilities (water, electricity for common areas)
████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░   8% — Management Office Operations
██████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░   7% — M&E (Mechanical & Electrical)
███░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░   5% — Sinking Fund Contribution
███░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░   5% — Contingency / Miscellaneous

Security (~30%)

• 24/7 security guards at entry points and patrols
• CCTV system maintenance
• Access card system (RFID readers, software)
• Guardhouse operations

Cleaning & Pest Control (~20%)

• Daily cleaning of lobbies, corridors, facilities
• Weekly common area cleaning
• Scheduled water tank cleaning
• Pest control (roaches, rats, mosquitoes, pigeons)
• Waste collection and disposal

Lift Maintenance (~15%)

• Monthly lift servicing by certified technicians
• Annual DOSH/JKKP safety inspections
• Spare parts and emergency repairs
• 5 lifts × 5 blocks = the largest recurring expense

Utilities (~10%)

• Water for common areas (landscaping, washing)
• Electricity for lifts, lobby lighting, security post
• Backup generator fuel and testing

Management Office (~8%)

• Salaries for administrative staff
• Office supplies, utilities, phone lines
• Software subscriptions (accounting, visitor management)

M&E (~7%)

• Water pump servicing and repairs
• Fire alarm system maintenance
• Genset servicing
• Plumbing and electrical repairs

Sinking Fund (~5%)

• Saved for major future repairs (roof, repainting, lift replacement)
• Legally required minimum contribution
• Cannot be spent on daily operations

Contingency (~5%)

• Unforeseen repairs (burst pipes, storm damage)
• Emergency call-outs
• Small capital improvements

Note: These are typical percentages. The actual split depends on your building’s age, number of lifts, security setup, and maintenance contracts. The JMB can provide the exact breakdown on request.

Maintenance Fee vs. Sinking Fund

	Maintenance Fee	Sinking Fund
Purpose	Daily operations	Major future repairs
Spent when	Every month	Every few years (roof, repaint, lift replacement)
Like a household budget	Groceries, utilities, petrol	Emergency savings, car replacement
Legally required	Yes (Strata Management Act)	Yes (minimum 10% of maintenance fee)
Can be spent on daily ops?	Yes	No — the law prohibits it

Why Does It Cost What It Costs?

If you think the fee is too high, consider:

• 5 blocks × multiple lifts, pumps, fire systems = more equipment to maintain
• 1,120 units × staff, security, cleaning = scaled to community size
• Aging infrastructure = older buildings need more repairs
• Security is non-negotiable for safety and insurance

If you think the fee is too low, consider:

• A well-maintained building preserves property value
• Deferred maintenance leads to more expensive emergency repairs (burst pipes, lift breakdowns)
• The sinking fund protects against special assessments (sudden large payments)

How to Check Your Building’s Numbers

1. Request a budget summary from the JMB or MO
2. Attend the AGM where the annual financial report is presented
3. Check the notice board for the audited financial statement (by law, this must be displayed)
4. Ask questions — the transparency page Who Runs This Building explains who to contact

See Also

• Sinking Fund vs. Maintenance Fee
• Who Runs This Building: JMB, MO & COB
• What Happens When Owners Don’t Pay
• Building Health Check