After Buying a House in Malaysia: Utilities, Assessment Tax, Quit Rent, Insurance & Management Checklist
After buying a house in Malaysia, the first jobs are to put electricity and water in your name, tell the local council about the sale within 3 months, and register for quit rent, which is due by 31 May each year. TNB asks for a deposit of about two months’ bills; water is Ranhill SAJ in Johor and Air Selangor in Selangor and KL. Here is where to go, what to bring and when each bill falls due, for Johor Bahru and the Klang Valley side by side.
Short answer
After collecting the keys to a Malaysian home, transfer the electricity and water accounts into your name, notify the local council of the transfer within 3 months, and register for quit rent, which falls due by 31 May each year. TNB charges a deposit of about two months’ bills plus RM10 stamp duty and RM3 processing. Water is Ranhill SAJ in Johor and Air Selangor in the Klang Valley.
Key numbers at a glance
| Electricity | TNB change of tenancy, on myTNB or at a Kedai Tenaga |
|---|---|
| TNB deposit and fees | About 2 months' bills, plus RM10 stamp duty and RM3 (low voltage) |
| Water | Ranhill SAJ in Johor; Air Selangor in Selangor, KL, Putrajaya |
| Sewerage | IWK; change of ownership via eSubmission on its portal |
| Notice to the council | Borang I within 3 months (Local Government Act 1976, s.160) |
| Penalty for not notifying | Fine up to RM2,000, up to 6 months' jail, or both |
| MBJB fee and billing | RM50 per transfer; bills 1 Jan-28 Feb and 1 Jul-31 Aug |
| Quit rent (cukai tanah) | Due by 31 May yearly (NLC s.94); Johor pays via JohorPay |
Key points in 30 seconds
- A TNB change of tenancy can be done online or at Kedai Tenaga: deposit of about two months’ bills, RM10 stamp duty and a RM3 processing fee (low voltage).
- In Johor, water is Ranhill SAJ: a subsale name change needs your NRIC, a witness’s NRIC, the SPA and the land title at a counter. Air Selangor (Selangor, KL, Putrajaya) takes applications online.
- Under section 160 of the Local Government Act 1976, buyer and seller must notify the council within 3 months (fine up to RM2,000); MBJB charges RM50 per transfer online.
- MBJB assessment tax is billed in two halves (1 Jan–28 Feb and 1 Jul–31 Aug); quit rent is due by 31 May, paid in Johor through JohorPay.
- Banks require fire insurance on mortgaged landed homes; for strata, the JMB/MC insures the building and the sinking fund is 10% of the service charge.
What to do after buying a house in Malaysia: the first 30 days
The paperwork is similar for new and subsale homes. The difference is that a new unit usually needs new accounts, while a subsale home needs accounts transferred. My order for clients is electricity first, then water, then council and land taxes and insurance, because renovation contractors and internet installers both need power.
- Day 1: photograph the metersOn key day, photograph the electricity and water meters with their serial numbers. This settles who owes what between you and the previous owner or developer.
- Days 1-7: electricityOpen or transfer the TNB account. For a brand-new unit with no account, the developer or a licensed electrical contractor often handles the supply application.
- Days 1-7: waterRanhill SAJ in Johor; Air Selangor for Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
- Days 1-30: sewerage (IWK)Notify the change of ownership through eSubmission on the IWK customer portal.
- Within 3 months: assessment taxFile the notice of sale or transfer (Borang I) with your local council.
- As soon as possible: quit rent and insuranceCheck whose name the quit-rent bill is in and who pays it; arrange fire or houseowner cover; register with management if it’s a strata unit.
| Item | Johor Bahru area | Selangor / Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | TNB | TNB |
| Water | Ranhill SAJ | Air Selangor (also covers KL and Putrajaya) |
| Sewerage | IWK (took over public sewerage in the MBJB and Pasir Gudang areas from April 2020) | IWK |
| Assessment tax (cukai taksiran) | MBJB (Johor Bahru), MBIP (Iskandar Puteri), MBPG (Pasir Gudang), MPKu (Kulai) and others | DBKL (Kuala Lumpur); Selangor councils such as MBPJ, MBSJ, MBSA |
| Quit rent (cukai tanah) / parcel rent (cukai petak) | PTG Johor and district land offices, paid via JohorPay | Selangor: e-Tanah public portal; Kuala Lumpur: the Federal Territory land and mines office |
How to transfer TNB, water (Ranhill SAJ / Air Selangor) and IWK accounts
Electricity: TNB change of tenancy
If the unit already has supply (a subsale home, or a new unit the developer has energised), you need a TNB change of tenancy, online through myTNB or at a Kedai Tenaga. TNB lists:
- A completed, signed application form and a copy of your IC or passport (both sides, marked “For TNB Purpose Only”)
- An owner or occupier declaration form
- RM10 stamp duty and a RM3 processing fee for low-voltage customers
- A deposit of about two months’ electricity, depending on the premises type
A unit that has never had supply needs a new-supply application, which iProperty notes is normally submitted through a licensed electrical contractor. Many developers coordinate this at VP, so ask at key collection.
Water in Johor: Ranhill SAJ
Ranhill SAJ supplies water across Johor. For a subsale purchase you apply for a change of account name at a Ranhill SAJ counter with the application form plus:
- A copy of your NRIC
- A copy of a witness’s NRIC
- A copy of the SPA
- A copy of the land title
You then pay the deposit, reconnection charges, stamp duty and any other fees (Ranhill SAJ does not publish the amounts online, so confirm at the counter). A new unit needs a new water supply application submitted by a licensed plumber, with the CCC or an assessment bill added to the documents; once the deposit is paid, Ranhill SAJ says it hands the meter to the plumber for installation within 2 working days. Hotline: 1800 88 7474.
On the seller’s side, the previous owner terminates their account and Ranhill SAJ refunds the deposit to their bank account after deducting any arrears. Ask your lawyer to confirm the old water bill is settled.
Water in Selangor, KL and Putrajaya: Air Selangor
Air Selangor accepts change-of-ownership applications online, or at a customer service counter with the water application form, two copies of the water supply service agreement, the additional information form and letter of undertaking, plus a photo of the meter reading and of the whole meter stand.
Sewerage: IWK
IWK handles ownership changes through eSubmission on its customer portal: upload the SPA pages showing the date, the parties’ names, the address and signatures, plus the assessment bill. IWK warns that the purchaser pays the sewerage charges unless it was notified of the sale, so check for arrears before completion. In Johor Bahru and Pasir Gudang, IWK took over the public sewerage services in April 2020.
Gas and internet
Most homes still use LPG cylinders; only some developments have piped gas from Gas Malaysia, so ask management. Fibre installation needs electricity first, and in condos, check with management which providers are already wired into the building.
Missing the 3-month notice to the council is the quiet one. Bills keep going to the previous owner, you never see them, and the arrears, the RM6 reminder letter, the RM11 Form E notice and eventually a Form G seizure all attach to the property rather than to them. The notice itself costs RM50 online at MBJB, against a fine of up to RM2,000 under section 160.
Ask Louis directly
Send me a photo of your key-collection letter and your meter readings and I'll tell you which counter to go to first and what to bring.
Tell me the address and whether it is landed or strata, and I'll send you a one-page list of the exact council, water company and land office for that property, with the forms, fees and deadlines.
Assessment tax (cukai taksiran): change of ownership and due dates
Assessment tax (cukai taksiran, often called cukai pintu) is the local council’s rate for rubbish collection, street lighting and public amenities. Under section 160 of the Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171), both buyer and seller must notify the council in writing (Borang I) within 3 months of a sale or transfer. The penalty is a fine of up to RM2,000, up to 6 months’ jail, or both (as stated by MBJB and by the Kedah local government portal).
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Billing periods | First half: 1 Jan–28 Feb; second half: 1 Jul–31 Aug |
| Change of ownership | Borang I (sale or inheritance) / Borang J (death), online at johor.ekhidmat.my |
| Fee | RM50 per transaction |
| Documents | IC copies; the land title, or a temporary title with Form 14A; the SPA |
| Payment channels | JomPAY (biller 4317), e-khidmat, PBTPay, JohorPay, online banking; MBJB counters and agents such as Pos Malaysia, BSN and Bank Rakyat |
| Late payment | Reminder letter (RM6 charge, 15 days to pay), then Form E notice (RM11), then possible seizure of movable property or auction (Form G, RM33) |
MBIP, MBPG, MPKu and the other Johor councils can also be checked and paid through JohorPay or PBTPay. In Kuala Lumpur it is DBKL; in Selangor it depends on your address (MBPJ, MBSJ, MBSA and so on). Transfer fees and document lists differ by council, so check your council’s website.
Quit rent (cukai tanah) and parcel rent (cukai petak): how and when to pay
Quit rent (cukai tanah) is the annual land rent paid to the state. Under section 94 of the National Land Code it is due by 31 May each year, after which it is in arrears and a fine is added. Owners holding a strata title pay parcel rent (cukai petak) instead.
| State | Authority | Online channel |
|---|---|---|
| Johor | PTG Johor and the district land offices | JohorPay (johorpay.johor.gov.my) |
| Selangor | PTG Selangor and district land offices | e-Tanah Selangor public portal; bills have not been posted since 1 Jan 2024 |
| Kuala Lumpur | Federal Territory land and mines office | Check the office’s current online channel |
In Selangor, PTG Selangor says parcel rent for ordinary strata schemes is charged at 25% of the land-rent rate (subject to a minimum), while serviced apartments are charged at the full commercial rate.
For a new condo, until strata titles are issued the quit rent is usually still levied on the master title and handled by the developer or management; you get your own parcel-rent account only after the strata title is issued and transferred to you. How it is shared depends on your SPA and the management’s arrangements. Whose name the bills show during this period also depends on the progress of perfection of transfer and charge.
Which home insurance do you need?
| Type | What it covers | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Fire insurance | The building against fire and basic perils | Required by banks for mortgaged landed homes, with the bank as loss payee |
| Houseowner | The building, plus flood, windstorm, third-party liability and more | Landed owners (can replace basic fire cover) |
| Householder | Contents: furniture, appliances, theft | Landed or strata owners, and tenants |
In a strata scheme the JMB or MC insures the whole building and the premium is in your service charge, so what you might add is householder cover for your renovation and contents. Mortgage life cover (MRTA/MLTA) is not required by law, though banks often push it; see MRTA vs MLTA and home insurance.
Condo owners: management registration, access cards and service charges
- Register as owner at the management office (IC plus SPA or VP letter) and collect or register access cards and parking stickers
- Get the house rules and by-laws, including renovation rules; written approval is needed before any works
- Confirm the service charge and sinking fund (10% of the service charge under the Act), how to pay and the due date
- New projects: the developer must convene the JMB’s first AGM within 12 months of VP, so attend and vote
- Gated & guarded landed schemes: confirm the residents’ association fee and rules (not a statutory charge; set by the community)
- Put electricity, water, assessment and service charges on auto-debit or calendar reminders
How service charges are set and what happens if they go unpaid is covered in maintenance fees and sinking fund; the roles of JMB, MC and COB in Strata Management Act 2013 explained. For inspecting defects at handover, see defect liability period and inspection checklist.
Annual property bills in Malaysia: a calendar
| When | Bill | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan–28 Feb | Assessment tax, first half | Local council (e.g. MBJB) |
| By 31 May | Quit rent / parcel rent (full year) | State land office (Johor via JohorPay) |
| 1 Jul–31 Aug | Assessment tax, second half | Local council |
| Monthly | Electricity, water, service charge and sinking fund (strata) | TNB, Ranhill SAJ / Air Selangor, management |
| Per billing cycle | Sewerage | IWK |
| Policy anniversary | Fire / houseowner / householder insurance | Insurer |
If you let the property out, assessment tax, quit rent and fire insurance are deductible against rental income; see renting out property in Malaysia. Foreign owners can read owning, renting and selling as a foreigner.
Related questions
How much does it cost to set up utilities after collecting the keys?
The fixed charges are small; the deposits are what you feel. TNB asks for a deposit of about two months’ electricity plus RM10 stamp duty and a RM3 processing fee for low-voltage customers. Ranhill SAJ collects a deposit, reconnection charges and stamp duty at the counter but does not publish the amounts online. MBJB charges RM50 to change the assessment-tax owner. A few hundred ringgit covers most condos; a large landed home costs more.
What if the previous owner left unpaid water or sewerage bills?
IWK states that the purchaser pays the sewerage charges unless it was notified of the sale, so old arrears can follow the property. Utility arrears are normally settled between the parties through the lawyers’ apportionment at completion, but the accounts stay in the seller’s name until you transfer them. Ask your lawyer for a final bill from every utility before the balance is released; the sequence is in the subsale transfer process.
Do I pay quit rent on a new condo before the strata title is issued?
Usually not directly. Until the strata title is issued the land sits on the master title, so quit rent is levied there and handled by the developer or management, and how it is shared depends on your SPA. You get your own parcel rent (cukai petak) account only once the strata title is issued and transferred to you. In Selangor, parcel rent for ordinary strata schemes is 25% of the land-rent rate, subject to a minimum.
Who pays the assessment tax and quit rent for the year I bought the house?
The lawyers apportion assessment tax, quit rent and service charges at the completion date, so the seller carries them to handover and you carry them from then. That only settles money between the two of you. The council and the land office keep billing whoever is on their records, so you still have to file the notice of transfer. Otherwise the bills, the reminder charges and any enforcement attach to the property, not to the previous owner.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open electricity and water accounts for a new house in Malaysia?
For a unit that has never had supply, a licensed electrical contractor usually applies to TNB for new supply; if supply exists, you do a TNB change of tenancy. For water in Johor, a licensed plumber submits the new-supply application to Ranhill SAJ with your NRIC, SPA, CCC or assessment bill and land title. In Selangor and KL, apply to Air Selangor.
How much is the TNB deposit for a change of tenancy?
According to myTNB, the deposit for a residential change of tenancy is about two months of electricity charges, depending on the premises type. You also pay RM10 stamp duty and a RM3 processing fee for low-voltage supply. Apply online via myTNB or at a Kedai Tenaga with your IC copy and the owner or occupier declaration form.
What documents does Ranhill SAJ need to change the water account name?
An owner changing the account name after a subsale submits the application form at a Ranhill SAJ counter with copies of their NRIC, a witness’s NRIC, the SPA and the land title, then pays the deposit, reconnection charges and stamp duty. The amounts are not published online, so confirm at the counter or call 1800 88 7474.
Is there a deadline to change the assessment tax owner name?
Yes. Section 160 of the Local Government Act 1976 requires buyer and seller to notify the council within 3 months of the sale or transfer, with a fine of up to RM2,000, up to 6 months’ jail, or both for non-compliance. In Johor Bahru, MBJB accepts Borang I online at johor.ekhidmat.my for RM50 per transaction.
Where and when do I pay quit rent in Johor?
Quit rent and parcel rent in Johor are paid to PTG Johor and the district land offices, and can be checked and paid online through JohorPay. The deadline is 31 May each year under the National Land Code; after that the rent is in arrears and a fine is added.
Do condo owners need their own fire insurance?
Usually not for the building: the JMB or MC must insure the whole building and the premium is included in the service charge. What you may want is householder insurance for your renovation, furniture and appliances. For mortgaged landed homes, banks require fire insurance with the bank named as loss payee.
Sources & verification
- myTNB — Change of Tenancy (documents, deposit, fees)
- Ranhill SAJ — Change of Account Name
- Ranhill SAJ — Application for Water Supply
- Ranhill SAJ — Termination of Water Supply (deposit refund)
- Air Selangor — Manage Account / Change of Ownership
- Indah Water (IWK) — Account changes or requests
- The Malaysian Reserve — Indah Water takes over sewerage services in Johor Bahru and Pasir Gudang (Mar 2020)
- MBJB — Tax Assessment (payment periods, Form I, fees, penalties)
- Portal PBT Kedah — Panduan Pindahmilik Cukai Taksiran (Act 171 s.160, 3 months)
- PTG Johor — Cukai Tanah (JohorPay)
- JohorPay
- Selangor Bar — e-Tanah Selangor public portal for quit rent and parcel rent (Jan 2025)
- PTG Selangor — Info Cukai Petak
- iProperty — Utility setup after vacant possession (Feb 2026)
- Etiqa — Fire insurance vs houseowner and householder
Verified: 2026-09-20. This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and rates change — confirm in writing with your lawyer, bank or the relevant authority before you sign.
More in this stage
Louis Koh
11 years in Malaysian property · Johor Bahru & Kuala Lumpur · English & 中文
I help local buyers and cross-border buyers from Singapore with new and subsale property. Every figure in these guides is sourced; when a rule changes, I update the page and date it.
Stuck on this step? Ask me directly
Send me your situation — new or subsale, budget, state, and where you are in the process — and I will tell you what to do next and what to watch for.
Tell me the address and whether it is landed or strata, and I'll send you a one-page list of the exact council, water company and land office for that property, with the forms, fees and deadlines.
Louis Koh · 11 years in Malaysian property · +60 10-906 6685 · replies 9am–10pm MYT