To check where a Singapore condo unit ends and common property begins, obtain the registered strata title plan for the relevant lot. A sales brochure or renovation drawing can help you recognise the layout, but the registered survey plan shows the legal lot boundaries. Ask the management corporation or Singapore Land Authority (SLA) about obtaining the plan.
Location is only the first check. Structural parts and some shared services can be common property even when they are inside the unit. An owner may also have maintenance duties for a feature on the building’s exterior. Identify the exact component, check the plan and applicable rules, then ask the management corporation to confirm who should inspect it and which approvals apply.
- Match the address, strata lot and level to the registered plan.
- Identify the component and what it serves.
- Check structural and shared-service rules even within the lot.
- Separate repair responsibility, work approval and who pays.
- Keep the plan extract, photographs and the management corporation’s response.
Find the section you need
Start with the plan if you are checking a boundary. Go to the component examples if a pipe, wall or window needs attention.
Chapters 1–3
The strata title plan is a registered survey plan. BCA’s strata guide explains that lot boundaries are commonly indicated by thick lines. Obtain the sheet for your actual lot and level and look for any associated notes or plans. Your unit number helps identify the space, while the lot reference allows you to check the registered record. If you have only a floor plan from an advertisement, ask the managing agent or SLA how to get the correct document.
Keep the plan and the contractor’s drawing separate
An architect’s drawing can show a proposed cabinet or wall finish in detail. It answers how the work is intended to fit. The strata plan answers where the registered boundary runs. Use both where appropriate. If the proposed work crosses or affects a boundary, ask which further checks or approvals are needed before authorising it.
Mark the exact area that raises the question
Point to the wall, ledge, balcony, pipe route or door on the plan. Include a photograph showing how it relates to the unit or shared area. If the plan uses labels you do not understand, ask the management corporation or an appropriate professional to interpret them. A helpful enquiry names a single feature or boundary rather than asking generally who owns everything outside the door.
Check attachments and other lot information
If the sale includes a parking space, storage area or unusual external space, ask how it is recorded. Exclusive use in practice may depend on the title, a separate lot, an allocation or another arrangement. Verify what rights attach to the actual purchase and where those rights are recorded. Do this before assuming a space shown at a viewing belongs to the unit.
Keep the different plans together without treating them as interchangeable
File the strata title plan with any renovation drawings, services plans and estate by-laws. When making an enquiry, label which document and which revision you are using. A services drawing can help a plumber identify the line involved. A contractor’s drawing can help management assess the scope of work. The strata plan remains the registered source for the boundaries. If the records appear to conflict, ask management or an appropriate professional to explain the difference before authorising work.
Ask about maintenance access as a separate issue
A shared component may need inspection from inside a unit. Ask the management corporation why access is required, what part will be inspected and how the parties should coordinate. Keep a record of the date, work scope and any reinstatement arrangements. If you are buying a unit with an unusual access panel or enclosure, ask what it serves and who will need to reach it. Knowing that in advance can affect both the maintenance plan and future renovation decisions.
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In everyday terms, the strata lot is the registered property owned by the unit owner. Common property generally includes shared areas such as gardens, corridors and lifts. The Building (Strata Management) Act also provides for specified structures and services that can be common property even when they are located inside a lot. Read the law and BCA guidance together with the plan before deciding how a feature should be treated.
Check whether only some lots benefit
Limited common property is a specific legal category where common property is designated for the exclusive benefit of some, but not all, lots. A door that only certain residents usually use does not itself establish that category. Ask the management corporation what the plan or relevant resolution records. In a mixed-use or multi-block development, check the arrangements applicable to the affected lots.
Distinguish access from ownership
If the only way to reach a feature is through one unit, that does not establish that the feature belongs exclusively to that owner. Similarly, regular use of a space does not prove the right to alter or enclose it. Identify whether the question is about ownership, access for maintenance or permission for a proposed work. The answer can depend on different parts of the legal and building records.
Use the current law and current guidance
Some BCA guides refer to the former title of the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act. BCA says it was renamed the Building (Strata Management) Act in October 2025. If a dispute depends on a specific legal provision, check the current in-force text and seek advice on how it applies to your estate and the feature in question.
Read a plan across levels when a component passes between floors
A service route or structural element can run through several levels. A single sheet may show the boundary on one floor without showing how the system connects. Ask management whether there is a relevant services drawing or another sheet. Compare the location and what the component serves. If the drawings cannot answer the question, ask whether an inspection or qualified survey is needed. Keep the findings with the exact plan revision and lot reference.
Verify what is actually included before a purchase
If a seller says a terrace or storage space belongs to the unit, ask what document establishes the right. Check the registered plan and purchase papers with your lawyer. If the space is shared or allocated for use, ask how the arrangement can change and who maintains it. The answer can affect how you use the home, what works you can carry out and whether you will have to contribute to repairs.
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A wall inside the unit
A non-structural internal partition will generally be treated differently from a load-bearing wall or structural column. Do not judge structural function by the wall’s position or thickness alone. If you are considering work, show the location to the management corporation and consult a qualified professional where needed. Keep written advice about the work and any approval before you let a contractor start.
A pipe behind a cabinet
Identify whether the pipe serves only the unit or is part of a shared system serving more than one lot. Ask for the relevant services drawing or arrange an inspection where appropriate. The fact that a pipe is hidden behind your cabinet does not settle who is responsible for it. A report should distinguish the damaged pipe from affected finishes, the cause of a leak and any resulting damage in another unit.
An external window
BCA says owners have maintenance responsibilities for features such as external openable windows. The surrounding façade and a particular window component can raise different questions. Tell the management corporation whether the problem is in a sash, hinge, frame, adjoining wall or a seal. Check the applicable requirements if you need to repair or replace it, particularly where the work affects the exterior appearance or safety.
A balcony or private enclosed space
Even if the plan shows the space within the lot, changes to the façade, structure or external appearance can need approvals. Ask about the proposed work using a drawing, dimensions and details of how it would be fixed. A covering, screen or other addition can raise different questions from maintaining an existing fitting. Confirm the estate’s by-laws and any authority approval the work requires.
| Feature | Start by checking |
|---|---|
| Corridor or lift lobby | The registered plan and any designated limited common property |
| Internal wall | Whether it is non-structural or a load-bearing element |
| Concealed pipe | Which lots it serves and how it is routed |
| External window or wall | Which component needs work and who has the statutory duty |
| Balcony or private enclosed space | Lot boundary, façade rules and approval for proposed works |
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When there is a defect, start by recording the symptom, location, date and any apparent effect on other areas. Give that information to the management corporation or its managing agent and ask who will inspect. Avoid assigning a cause or admitting liability before the facts are established. A wet patch can be visible inside a lot even where the source lies elsewhere.
Ask who handles each step
The person who arranges access may differ from the party responsible for maintaining the failed component. Ask who is commissioning the investigation and what the inspection will cover. If an expert attends, keep the report and ask which conclusions are confirmed and which require more work. Obtain the scope of any remedial work before deciding who is expected to pay.
Treat the source and affected finish as different items
A leak might involve a common pipe, a private fitting and damage to a decorative finish. Identify each in the report. Ask which parts need immediate action and which can wait until the cause is confirmed. If an insurer may be involved, contact it using the official claims route and ask what evidence it needs before repairs begin.
Document a safety concern promptly
If the issue involves a loose external fitting, a suspected structural problem or a dangerous condition, contact the relevant management or emergency route promptly. Avoid testing it yourself or putting someone at risk to obtain a photograph. Keep a record of whom you contacted and what instructions you received. Use a qualified professional for assessment and work where required.
A report involving water marks near a window
An owner finds damp marks below a window after heavy rain. The owner can record which window was closed, where water appeared and the dates it happened. Management can help arrange an investigation of the relevant window and façade components. Ask the inspector to identify the likely entry point and whether work is needed to a private fitting, external wall or other feature. Avoid deciding who pays from the location of the stain alone.
A defect is reported while someone is renovating
Ask the owner, contractor and management to identify what has changed and which work is still planned. Keep photographs of the earlier condition if available. If work could conceal the affected component, ask how to preserve access and records until the cause is checked. Notify the insurer if the policy requires it and ask whether any work needs prior approval. Separate temporary protective steps from a permanent repair.
Put the repair request in usable terms
Name the issue, proposed repair and desired next step. For instance, ask for an inspection of a vertical pipe serving two units rather than simply asking whether the management corporation will pay. If the responsibility is disputed, ask for the inspection findings and the provision or plan the parties are using. This gives the owner a concrete matter to discuss rather than a general dispute about the boundary.
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Send the management corporation a description of the work, the affected boundary and drawings where appropriate. Ask whether the work is within the lot, affects common property or changes the building’s exterior. Check the estate’s by-laws and any conditions in the sale documents. Ask which additional authority approvals are needed. A contractor’s willingness to carry out the work does not establish that it has been approved.
An example involving a proposed awning
An owner wants shade over a private enclosed space. The covering may be in an area the owner uses, while its fixings may attach to an external wall or change the appearance of the building. Give management the exact location, fixing method, size and materials. Ask which approvals are required before ordering the awning. Check the written response against the contractor’s final proposal.
An example involving an internal renovation
An owner wants to remove a partition between two rooms and move some wiring or pipes. Ask what elements serve other lots or form part of the structure. A proposal that appears to be wholly internal can still affect shared services. Use the building and services information relevant to the work and confirm which professional assessment or approvals apply. If the contractor changes its plan, check whether the approval still covers it.
Keep approval and scope together
Retain the approval, drawings and conditions. Give the contractor the final version and agree that any departure will be checked first. After work is completed, keep the record for a future owner or manager. The documents can help explain what was altered and whether a later repair involves original or added features.
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Start with a written enquiry that identifies the exact component, strata lot and date. Include a plan extract and photographs where available, and ask which plan or provision supports the management corporation’s position. State what you need next, such as an inspection, approval or repair schedule. A focused question helps management respond and gives everyone a record if the matter needs to go further.
Try to agree on the facts first
Compare what each party thinks the affected feature is and what it serves. If the disagreement concerns a pipe or structural element, a qualified inspection may answer a factual question the plan alone cannot resolve. Give both parties the relevant documents and agree how access will be handled. Keep the outcome in writing.
Check the available resolution route
BCA suggests raising disputes with the management corporation and identifies mediation and the Strata Titles Boards as possible options. Check which process can deal with the actual issue. If you need legal advice, provide the plan, relevant by-laws, inspection records and correspondence. Ask what outcome is available and which deadlines or steps apply.
Preserve the maintenance history
Keep notices, photographs, inspection reports, contractor invoices and the management corporation’s decision together. If the feature needs another repair later, the records can show what was inspected and what work was done. Share appropriate information with a future buyer or contractor where it affects their decision, without circulating private information about other residents unnecessarily.
Agree how to close the issue after work is done
Confirm which defect was repaired and what other damage remains. Record who carried out the work, whether it was tested and whether a follow-up is needed. Keep any written warranty or inspection result with the correspondence. If costs are still under discussion, ask for the breakdown and address it separately from the record of work completed. This helps the next management team or owner understand what has been resolved.
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Is everything inside my condo mine to alter?
Some structural elements and shared services can be common property even inside a lot. Check the feature, the registered plan and the approval requirements.
Can I rely on the marketing floor plan?
Use it to understand the layout. Obtain the registered strata title plan to establish the lot boundary.
Does a private balcony mean I can put up a cover?
Check the by-laws, the management corporation’s requirements and any applicable authority approvals. The proposed work may affect the exterior or structure.
Who maintains a condo’s external openable window?
BCA identifies owner maintenance responsibilities for such windows. Ask which exact component is affected and what rules or approvals apply to it.
Who should I ask about a shared pipe?
Start with the management corporation or managing agent. Identify the route, affected units and what it serves, and seek a qualified inspection where needed.
What if management and I disagree?
Ask for its reasons in writing and compare the plan and records. Check the appropriate mediation or Strata Titles Boards route if the matter remains unresolved.
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