Strata By-Laws in Malaysia: Pets, Renovation, Short-Term Rentals & Fines
Strata by-laws in Malaysia (undang-undang kecil) bind every owner, tenant and visitor in a strata scheme: the standard by-laws in the Third Schedule of the 2015 Regulations apply automatically, a JMB or MC can add its own by special resolution (three-quarters of valid votes), and a breach can be fined up to RM200. The standard by-laws don’t ban pets outright, but individual buildings can ban short-term rentals. Here is what has a legal basis and how to check your building’s rules.
Short answer
Strata by-laws in Malaysia come in layers. The standard by-laws in the Third Schedule of the 2015 Regulations bind every owner, tenant and visitor automatically. A JMB or MC can add its own by special resolution: 21 days’ notice and three-quarters of the valid votes cast. A breach can be fined up to RM200. The standard by-laws do not ban pets outright, but a building can ban short-term rentals.
Key numbers at a glance
| Standard by-laws | Third Schedule of the 2015 Strata Management Regulations |
|---|---|
| Who is bound | Parcel owners, occupants including tenants, and invitees |
| Additional by-laws | Special resolution: 21 days' notice, 3/4 of valid votes cast |
| Filing with the COB | An MC files its additional by-laws within 30 days |
| Maximum fine | RM200 per breach |
| Pets | No blanket ban; nuisance, danger and council rules still apply |
| Short-term rentals | No national ban; a building may prohibit them by additional by-law |
| Where to challenge | COB at your local council, or the tribunal (Form 1: RM100) |
Key points in 30 seconds
- The standard by-laws in the Third Schedule of the Strata Management (Maintenance and Management) Regulations 2015 apply to every strata scheme automatically.
- A JMB or MC can make additional by-laws by special resolution (at least 21 days’ notice, three-quarters of valid votes), and an MC must file a copy with the Commissioner of Buildings within 30 days.
- Owners, occupants and invitees who break the by-laws can be fined up to RM200 per breach.
- The standard by-laws only prohibit animals that cause nuisance or danger or breach state or council rules; they contain no blanket pet ban, though councils have their own dog rules.
- The Federal Court in Innab Salil v Verve Suites (2020) is reported to have upheld an MC by-law banning short-term rentals, but it binds only buildings that pass such a by-law.
What are strata by-laws and where do they come from?
By-laws govern how common property is used, how residents behave and how the building is kept safe. Under the Strata Management Act 2013 (Act 757) they bind parcel owners, occupants (tenants included) and invitees. There are three layers:
| Layer | Made by | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Standard by-laws (Third Schedule) | The government, in the Third Schedule of the Strata Management (Maintenance and Management) Regulations 2015 | Apply to every strata scheme automatically; additional by-laws cannot override them |
| Additional by-laws | The developer with COB approval during its management period; a JMB or MC by special resolution | Apply to that building; cannot conflict with the Act or the standard by-laws |
| House rules from the office | The committee or managing agent | Mostly operational detail such as renovation hours and visitor registration; if not passed through the statutory process, their force is open to challenge |
A “special resolution” is defined in section 2 of the Act: at least 21 days’ notice specifying the motion, carried by not less than three-quarters of the valid votes cast. After an MC passes additional by-laws, it must file a copy with the Commissioner of Buildings (COB) within 30 days.
How much can a condo fine you for breaking the by-laws?
The Act lets a JMB or MC provide in its by-laws for fines on any owner, occupant or invitee who breaches them, not exceeding RM200. That is a statutory ceiling; a building cannot write a bigger fine into its rules.
| Situation | Maximum fine |
|---|---|
| One breach, e.g. clutter left in the corridor | RM200 |
| Three separate breaches | 3 × RM200 = RM600 |
| Damage beyond what a fine covers | Recovered separately as a loss, at the tribunal or in court |
Landlords, take note: the by-laws bind occupants, but the office usually sends the bill to the owner. Put a clause in the tenancy agreement making the tenant responsible for fines they cause. See renting out property in Malaysia.
Access-card deactivation for unpaid maintenance fees is a separate process with its own notice and 14-day wait; see maintenance fees and sinking fund.
If your numbers only work with short-term letting, read the building’s registered by-laws before you pay the booking fee. A ban needs only three-quarters of the valid votes cast at one meeting, and once it passes the unit is back to ordinary monthly tenancy at a different rent and a different yield from the one you budgeted. See renting out property in Malaysia.
Ask Louis directly
Tell me the building and what you need it to allow, a pet, a renovation or short stays, and I will ask management for the registered by-laws before you pay any booking fee.
Tell me the building and I will request the additional by-laws on top of the Third Schedule and the last two years of AGM minutes from management, so you can see which new rules are already on the table.
Can you keep pets in a condo in Malaysia?
This is the by-law question I get most. The answer: the Third Schedule standard by-laws do not ban pets outright. They prohibit keeping an animal that:
- causes annoyance or nuisance to other residents;
- is dangerous to the safety or health of other residents; or
- is kept in breach of state or local authority rules.
The third point matters because councils have their own licensing rules for dogs in high-rises. According to PropertyGuru’s summary, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) allows only listed small breeds, and only with JMB or MC approval, while MBPJ in Petaling Jaya restricts dogs to ground-floor units. I could not find a published high-rise dog list for Johor Bahru councils such as MBJB or MBIP, so check licensing directly with your council before you commit.
Individual buildings may also pass additional by-laws on pets, covering species, numbers or conduct in common areas (leashes, no pets in the pool deck). I have not found a verified court ruling on whether an additional by-law can ban pets completely, so read the building’s registered by-laws before you buy.
- Get the building’s additional by-laws from management and look for pet clauses.
- Check your council’s dog licensing rules and any high-rise restrictions.
- Confirm the rules for pets in lifts and lobbies (service lift only, for example).
- Renting? Both the landlord and the by-laws must allow it.
Can condo management ban Airbnb and short-term rentals?
Malaysia has no single nationwide ban on short-term rentals (homestays, Airbnb), but an individual building can prohibit them through additional by-laws. The case usually cited is Innab Salil & Ors v Verve Suites Mont’ Kiara Management Corporation, in which the Federal Court is reported to have upheld, in 2020, the Verve Suites MC’s by-law banning short-term letting. The ruling confirms that an MC can pass such a by-law; it binds only buildings that have done so and is not a national ban.
So if you are buying to run short stays, check building by building:
- whether the building has passed an additional by-law banning or restricting short-term rentals (look at the minutes and the copy filed with the COB);
- management’s rules on guest registration, the number of access cards and visitor parking;
- whether your council or state requires a licence or registration for short-term accommodation (this varies; go by what the council publishes);
- whether your home loan and insurance permit commercial short-term letting.
Renovation, laundry and façade rules
Renovation rules mostly come from each building’s additional by-laws and office rules. Typical requirements: an application with drawings before work starts, a refundable renovation deposit, restricted working hours (weekends and public holidays often limited), worker registration, no construction debris in the refuse chute, and no changes to the façade, window colours or fittings that alter the building’s look. Your building’s rules decide the detail, and structural work or work needing a council permit has its own requirements; see renovation permits and management rules.
Leaks into the unit below after a renovation are among the most common by-law disputes. The process is in common property defects and water leakage.
Landlords and tenants: how the by-laws apply
The by-laws bind not only owners but occupants and invitees, so your tenant, the tenant’s friends and the contractor you hire all have to follow them. The catch is that management usually deals with, and bills, the registered owner. If you let a unit, do three things:
- Attach the by-laws to the tenancy agreement and have the tenant sign that they have read them. If the tenant breaches them later, you have a basis to recover the fine or loss.
- Register the tenant with the management office and apply for access cards under the building’s rules. Some buildings cap the number of cards per unit, so check before you let to a large household.
- Allocate responsibility in the tenancy agreement: fines for the tenant’s breaches, and damage such as a leak into the unit below caused by misuse, are the tenant’s cost and can be deducted from the deposit.
If you are the tenant, ask the landlord for the by-laws before you sign, especially on pets, overnight guests and parking. A landlord who says yes to a pet does not mean the building’s by-laws or the council agree.
How to challenge a by-law or a fine
- Ask for the basisAsk management in writing which by-law you breached and when and how it was passed.
- Raise it at an AGM or EGMBy-laws are made by the general meeting and can be changed by it. Owners holding 25% of the aggregate share units can requisition an EGM.
- Complain to the COBIf the by-law was not passed through the statutory process, or management won’t show the records, complain to the Commissioner of Buildings at your local council.
- File at the Strata Management TribunalThe tribunal hears by-law disputes, with claims up to RM250,000; a residential Form 1 costs RM100 and lawyers are generally not allowed. See the Strata Management Act guide.
Before you buy: a by-law checklist
- Ask the seller or management for the building’s additional by-laws on top of the Third Schedule.
- Ask specifically about pets, short-term rentals, renovation, parking bays and visitors.
- Read the last two years of AGM minutes to see which new by-laws are on the table.
- If you plan to let, check limits on tenant registration and access cards.
- Singaporean and other overseas buyers letting remotely should check how management handles agents and guest registration; see our page for Singaporean buyers.
- Combine this with subsale due diligence to check for maintenance arrears.
Related questions
Can a condo stop me changing my windows or installing an air-conditioner compressor?
Usually yes, through the building’s additional by-laws and renovation rules. Typical rules require an application with drawings before work starts, a refundable renovation deposit, restricted working hours and no changes to the facade, window colours or fittings that alter the building’s appearance. Compressor positions are part of that appearance, so ask management in writing before you order anything. See renovation permits and management rules.
Do strata by-laws apply to a gated-and-guarded landed house?
If the scheme is held on individual strata titles with shared common property, yes. Many gated landed schemes are strata developments, so the roads, walls and clubhouse are common property, the Third Schedule by-laws apply and the JMB or MC can fine breaches up to RM200. If the houses are on ordinary individual titles and the guards are paid through a residents’ association instead, the by-law regime does not apply and the rules are contractual.
What happens if I just ignore a RM200 by-law fine?
The fine is a debt, and the JMB or MC can pursue it at the Strata Management Tribunal or in court, along with any actual damage the breach caused, which is claimed separately. The access-card deactivation route is tied to unpaid maintenance charges rather than by-law fines, and it has its own written notice and 14-day wait. Ask in writing which by-law you breached and how it was passed before you pay or refuse.
Can a condo limit how many access cards or residents a unit can have?
Many do, through additional by-laws and office rules on tenant registration, guest registration and visitor parking. Some buildings cap the number of access cards per unit, which matters if you are letting to a large household or sharing the unit. Check the cap before you sign a tenancy, because an unregistered occupant with no card is a problem you will be asked to fix, and the bill for any breach lands with the owner.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep a dog in a condo in Malaysia?
The Third Schedule standard by-laws contain no blanket pet ban. They prohibit animals that cause annoyance or nuisance, endanger other residents’ safety or health, or breach state or council rules. Your council may restrict dogs in high-rises and your building may have additional by-laws, so check both before you move in.
What is the maximum fine for breaking condo by-laws in Malaysia?
RM200 per breach. The Strata Management Act 2013 lets a JMB or MC fine an owner, occupant or invitee who breaches the by-laws, but caps the fine at RM200. Actual damage caused by the breach can be claimed separately at the Strata Management Tribunal or in court.
Can a condo ban Airbnb in Malaysia?
Yes, through an additional by-law. The Federal Court in Innab Salil v Verve Suites Mont’ Kiara Management Corporation (2020) is reported to have upheld an MC by-law banning short-term rentals. It applies only to buildings that pass such a by-law; there is no nationwide ban.
How are additional by-laws passed?
A JMB or MC must pass them by special resolution: at least 21 days’ notice of the motion and not less than three-quarters of the valid votes cast. An MC then files a copy with the Commissioner of Buildings within 30 days. During the developer’s management period, additional by-laws need COB approval.
Who pays if my tenant breaks the condo by-laws?
The by-laws bind owners, occupants and invitees, but management usually bills the owner. Protect yourself with a tenancy clause making the tenant liable for fines they cause, and a deposit you can deduct from if the tenant does not pay.
Where can I complain about an unfair condo fine?
First ask management in writing which by-law was breached and how it was passed. If that doesn’t resolve it, raise it at the general meeting, complain to the Commissioner of Buildings at your local council, or file at the Strata Management Tribunal, where a residential claim costs RM100 to file.
Sources & verification
- Strata Management Act 2013 (Act 757), full text
- Low and Partners — Strata Management Act 2013, Part 3 (additional by-laws, fines)
- PropertyGuru — Is it illegal to keep pets in high-rise property?
- iProperty (Jul 2026) — What the SMA 2013 means for your building's by-laws
- SPEEDHOME — JMB Malaysia condo guide (Innab Salil case)
- Mah Weng Kwai and Associates — Strata Management Tribunal
- iProperty — Strata Management Tribunal: how to make a claim
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.
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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 building and I will request the additional by-laws on top of the Third Schedule and the last two years of AGM minutes from management, so you can see which new rules are already on the table.
Louis Koh · 11 years in Malaysian property · +60 10-906 6685 · replies 9am–10pm MYT