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Singapore Property, HDB and Housing | Subsidiary MCSTs and Limited Common Property: Mixed-Use Fees, Facilities and Owner Voting

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by

eduKate Asia

A residential tower above a shopping mall, a complex with offices and homes, or a project combining different kinds of strata residences may have a two-tier strata management structure. In Singapore, the main Management Corporation (MCST) manages common property for the overall development, while a legally constituted subsidiary management corporation (sub-MC) can manage designated Limited Common Property for the exclusive benefit of a defined group of lot owners. For example, a residential sub-MC may manage a pool intended for residents, while the main MC manages a shared driveway used by homes and shops. The presence of a mall does not automatically mean a sub-MC exists; the actual strata title and legal records decide.

Under sections 77–79 of the Building (Strata Management) Act, Limited Common Property can be designated only for recognised types of differentiated owner interests, such as residential versus non-residential lots or specified different residential lot types. A sub-MC has its own management and sinking funds for its designated facilities, while the main MCST retains duties for general common property. An existing one-tier development seeking conversion to two tiers generally needs a comprehensive resolution—not merely a simple majority of the people who happen to attend a meeting. This demanding resolution requires at least 90% of the aggregate share value of all relevant owners by the end of a prescribed twelve-week voting period, following proper meeting notice.

  • obtain the actual strata title plan and MCST records
  • check whether legally designated Limited Common Property exists
  • identify which lots are members of any sub-MC
  • distinguish common driveways, structural elements and shared utilities from group-only facilities
  • compare main MC and sub-MC financial statements
  • ask how share-value levies are allocated
  • verify whether commercial equipment is maintained separately
  • read valid by-laws and management contracts
  • understand which meeting you may vote at
  • check the legal definition of a comprehensive resolution
  • inspect current sinking reserves and approved special levies
  • and never assume an informal fee split or building sign creates a separate legal corporation.

Contents: two-tier strata management from first principles

1. Why two-tier management exists

Some developments contain owners with genuinely different interests. A shop owner may rely on a commercial escalator and air-conditioning system while a residential owner mainly uses a pool, residential lift and private garden.

Charging every owner for every specialist amenity without regard to legally defined responsibility can cause conflict. A two-tier structure allows suitable designated property to be managed for the group it benefits, while the wider estate continues under the main MCST.

This is not a general permission to exclude unpopular residents from ordinary common facilities. The arrangement must fit the statutes, approved boundaries and formal designation.

2. Start with the main MCST

Under strata law, the main management corporation consists of the subsidiary proprietors of all lots in the registered strata plan. It is a legal body with obligations for common property and financial administration.

Being a subsidiary proprietor means owning a strata lot, not being an employee or tenant. The MCST is the collective organisation; its elected council manages day-to-day decision-making under the Act.

Check the development’s actual strata title plan number and main management corporation before interpreting letters from the property manager.

3. What a subsidiary management corporation is

A sub-MC is a separate corporate body created for legally designated Limited Common Property benefiting two or more, but not all, lots in a strata development. Its owners are the subsidiary proprietors of the relevant designated group.

Section 79 describes its continuing legal capacity and duties. It is not merely a working committee of residents who like the swimming pool or a commercial contractor administering the retail basement.

Ask for the sub-MC’s legal number and the designated property. A management fee category on an invoice alone is not proof that a statutory sub-MC exists.

4. Limited Common Property has a precise definition

Under the Act, designated Limited Common Property is part of common property for the exclusive benefit of the recognised group of lots. It can include facilities and areas used by a defined part of the development rather than every owner.

The Act also excludes certain fundamental building elements and systems from being designated as Limited Common Property, including specified foundations, columns, beams and essential shared facilities.

Do not assume a resident-only facility automatically qualifies. The legal description and exclusions need professional interpretation.

5. Residential and non-residential interests are a typical case

A mixed-use project might contain apartments over retail premises and offices, with shared vehicular access and separate residential or commercial facilities. Those different owner groups are a recognised reason for a two-tier arrangement.

The main MCST may manage the road or gate used by everyone, while residential group-only facilities can be designated to a residential sub-MC and retail-specific common areas to a commercial sub-MC.

Check the approved plan and recorded designation rather than assuming every physical separation is also a separate financial corporation.

6. Different types of residential lots can also qualify

Section 77 recognises differing residential lot types under prescribed criteria as another basis for Limited Common Property. A project combining apartments and qualifying other residential forms may have different needs for selected shared spaces.

The existence of penthouses or large units alone does not mean the owners may unilaterally create a new sub-MC. The statutory eligibility and designation process must be followed.

Ask a strata lawyer or appropriate professional how the actual residential lot types are classified under the applicable regulations.

7. Not every integrated development has a sub-MC

A mall below apartments can have complex management yet still operate with one MCST. Some projects have separate strata schemes or other lawful structural arrangements rather than a two-tier scheme inside one plan.

A seller who says ‘commercial pays all its own costs’ may be describing a management allocation, a tenancy, a sub-MC or merely an assumption. These are materially different facts.

Request the registered records and current fee statements. Do not purchase on the basis of a verbal promise about who will pay for future repairs.

8. The legal strata plan is the key document

Limited Common Property may be designated in the strata title plan or through a comprehensive resolution under section 78. The relevant plan identifies the property for exclusive benefit of the defined lots.

An estate site map showing coloured zones may illustrate facilities without establishing the legal boundaries. A registered plan or formally filed designation is stronger evidence.

Ask for the correct plan number and any supplementary registration or designation instrument. A conveyancing solicitor can explain which benefits and contributions attach to the purchased lot.

9. The main MCST retains its general duties

Section 79 makes clear that, after Limited Common Property is created, the main management corporation still has powers and duties over common property. A sub-MC is not a complete replacement for the main body.

Shared roads, structural elements or plant serving the whole development do not automatically become private sub-MC responsibility because one group wishes to control more expenditure.

Distinguish management of group-only facilities from estate-wide obligations in budgets and repair proposals.

10. A sub-MC has its own management fund

Section 79 requires each sub-MC to establish a management fund for the common expenses of its Limited Common Property. Recurring operation of the designated facilities can be paid from this fund according to lawful contributions.

Examples may include group-only access control, cleaning or routine maintenance if those are properly within the designation. The actual scope and approved budget matter.

Read separate income, expenditure and arrears reports rather than assuming a single consolidated estate fee reflects every obligation.

11. A sub-MC also has a sinking fund

The sub-MC must also establish its own sinking fund for major capital expenses relating to the designated Limited Common Property. This protects against the risk that a facility is used for years without saving for eventual replacement.

An exclusive residential pool may require resurfacing or equipment replacement, while the main MCST simultaneously needs funding for a shared driveway. The same household might contribute to both.

Ask for actual balances, expected capital works and the contribution policy before declaring one property cheaper to own than another.

12. Owners can face more than one fee line

An owner who belongs to a sub-MC may pay contributions to the main corporation and to the relevant subsidiary corporation. These are not necessarily duplicate fees; they may fund different legally designated assets.

Nevertheless, expense allocation should be explained and supported by the statutory structure. The owner should not accept arbitrary charges without understanding which organisation imposed them.

Request an itemised contribution statement showing the relevant periods, share values, funds and authorised resolutions.

13. Share value can influence contributions

Share value is a strata concept relevant to contribution allocation and voting under particular provisions. It is not simply the number of bedrooms or the amount of private floor area recorded in the sales brochure.

Each corporation’s authorised contributions need to be assessed using the appropriate lots, legal rule and approved budget. A large residential unit may have different levy obligations from a small shop unit.

Ask the managing agent to explain the mathematical basis with real figures rather than relying on a general claim that every owner pays the same amount.

14. Ordinary resolutions are not enough to create a sub-MC

Section 78 contemplates creation of Limited Common Property through a statutory process. For a change from an existing one-tier MC arrangement to a two-tier system, BCA identifies a comprehensive resolution as the relevant mechanism.

An ordinary vote passing by a small number of owners at an AGM should not be described as sufficient to reassign ownership-related management obligations. Formation is a significant legal change.

Ask the meeting chairperson to state the required resolution and proper documentation before a proposed vote.

15. What a comprehensive resolution really requires

Section 2 defines a comprehensive resolution as a proposal considered at a duly convened meeting after the necessary notice, with support reaching at least 90% of the aggregate share value of all relevant subsidiary proprietors at the end of a twelve-week voting period.

This is much harder than obtaining 90% of only the votes cast by those present at a meeting. Absentees matter because the total share value of the entire group forms the denominator.

Have the managing agent or lawyer show the voting method and timing. Do not treat a show of hands as a complete final result.

16. A 90% resolution is a different legal category

The Act also defines a 90% resolution based on the share value of valid votes cast at the general meeting. Its definition differs from the comprehensive resolution’s twelve-week and total-share-value test.

A meeting paper that says simply ‘90% approval’ can be dangerously ambiguous. The wrong voting category may invalidate or undermine a significant proposal.

Read the statutory label and meeting notice, not just the percentage. A lawful governance decision depends on the correct threshold.

17. Changing boundaries needs another formal process

Sections 78 and 79 allow applicable changes to Limited Common Property designations and allocations, subject to prescribed resolutions and registration. Moving a line on a facilities map is not sufficient.

Boundary changes can alter which owners benefit from and pay for expensive assets, so there is a strong reason for requiring formal documentation and substantial owner agreement.

Obtain professional and title advice before promising a newly private gym, garden or corridor as part of a resale transaction.

18. Dissolving a sub-MC is also a legal act

A subsidiary corporation can be dissolved only through the applicable statutory process. BCA lists comprehensive resolution among mechanisms relevant to dissolution of an existing sub-MC.

Funds, liabilities and obligations must be handled according to law when the management structure changes. Stopping separate invoices informally does not dissolve the corporation.

Owners should ask how reserve balances, contracts, disputes and future capital repairs will be transferred under a proposed dissolution.

19. Membership is determined by relevant lots

The sub-MC consists of owners of the lots for whose exclusive benefit the Limited Common Property is designated. A person cannot join simply by paying a membership subscription for recreational facilities.

Likewise, a tenant of one of the lots is not automatically a voting subsidiary proprietor, though the tenant may have authorised facility access under the owner’s rights and applicable by-laws.

Check actual membership and voting authority when a meeting proposes expenditure on group-only property.

20. The facilities shown in a brochure need legal verification

A developer may advertise residents’ pools, office terraces, retail amenities and shared gardens. These may have different title and management arrangements after the project is completed.

A facility labelled private residential in marketing is not enough to decide whether it is Limited Common Property or another kind of common property.

Ask for the sale documents, registered strata plan and current by-laws before treating exclusive-use claims as contractual facts.

21. Residential pools and commercial escalators differ

BCA’s two-tier management guidance gives the example of a residential sub-MC handling a pool intended only for residents and a commercial sub-MC handling the shops’ central air-conditioning.

Those are illustrative examples, not a statement that every mall’s escalators are always the shops’ responsibility. The actual designated property and shared infrastructure determine the result.

Use the examples to ask the right questions, not to replace the formal plan.

22. Shared driveways and carparks often remain estate-wide

A vehicle entrance used by both residential owners and retail customers may be general common property under the main MCST, while separate dedicated residential parking equipment could have a different designated arrangement.

Funding maintenance depends on legal classification, contracts and valid cost allocation. Mere proximity to the residential lift does not settle who owns a parking structure.

Ask whether the driveway, basement ventilation, gate and road drainage are main or limited common property.

23. Structural components cannot be casually reclassified

The statutory definition limits what can be treated as Limited Common Property, excluding certain structural foundations, columns, beams, supports, walls and other essential elements.

A sub-MC representing residential owners cannot simply declare that a shared column serving the whole tower belongs only to its own pool budget if the law excludes that classification.

Seek structural and legal advice when costs for roofs, external walls or load-bearing systems are disputed. Safety comes first, followed by correct financial allocation.

24. Shared services require particular scrutiny

Pipes, wires, ducts and service systems necessary for common use of all lots can fall outside the Limited Common Property category. A chiller or water supply crossing residential and commercial zones may serve multiple groups.

Engineering drawings can help identify who benefits from a service and which legal entity maintains it. Technical function and registered rights both matter.

Do not allocate a major repair merely by guessing which floor contains the equipment. Ask for the actual service map and legal basis.

25. General meetings and votes can overlap

An owner who belongs to a sub-MC may participate in relevant sub-MC general meetings as well as the main MCST’s meetings under the proper entitlement rules.

Different meetings decide different funds and facilities. A vote about the residential pool budget is not automatically a vote about the shared commercial driveway.

Keep the two sets of minutes and budgets distinct. This reduces confusion about what a resolution actually authorised.

26. Managing agents can serve different bodies

One property management company may be engaged for several parts of a development, or separate sub-MCs may use different service providers. Neither arrangement by itself changes statutory ownership or control.

Read who appointed the managing agent, the duties delegated, termination terms and reporting obligations. A contract signed by one body does not necessarily authorise spending on every facility.

Clear service boundaries help residents know where to report a broken lift, dirty corridor or unsafe commercial plant.

27. Condo owners should demand transparent records

Useful records include main MCST and sub-MC registration, strata title plan, Limited Common Property designation, share-value schedules, fund accounts, annual budgets and approved special levies.

Ask for those materials through the appropriate lawful access process before buying or voting on a major change. A competent manager should be able to explain the arrangement plainly.

Keep a summary of which corporation maintains each important asset and which fee pays for it. This helps owners evaluate future proposals.

28. Special levies can arise from either tier

A major repair to a group-only facility may require the relevant sub-MC to raise contributions, while a separate estate-wide capital repair may require main MCST funding.

Owners should verify the statutory vote, budget and membership before assuming a proposed levy is unlawful or, conversely, immediately payable without question.

Compare the capital needs of both tiers when buying a unit. One low monthly fee can conceal a separate large obligation.

29. Disputes should identify the correct decision-maker

Residents may complain about fees, facility access, repairs or governance. The proper response depends on whether the dispute concerns main common property or designated Limited Common Property.

Start with documents and the relevant managing agent or council. For statutory disputes, the Strata Titles Boards may have jurisdiction over specified categories, not every contractual or personal disagreement.

Do not sue or threaten the wrong body based on a marketing diagram. Legal identification of the issue saves time and cost.

30. A future sale does not reset membership

When a strata lot is transferred, the new eligible subsidiary proprietor assumes the relevant strata ownership rights and obligations, including membership in any sub-MC connected to that lot.

A seller cannot privately promise that a buyer may opt out of the residential subsidiary fee because the buyer never uses the pool.

Ask the solicitor to identify the current contributions, outstanding levies and relevant bylaws before completion so the buyer can budget accurately.

31. Before buying above a shopping mall

Ask whether the building has one or two tiers of management, and identify the budgets for shared roads, residential lifts, pools, retail escalators and exterior structures.

Compare your monthly contributions with expected repairs and verify that commercial operating costs are not inaccurately attributed in the marketing explanation.

A mixed-use residence can offer outstanding convenience, but that advantage should be measured alongside legal complexity and long-term maintenance.

32. How a council should propose a two-tier conversion

Begin with a legally sound explanation of which owner groups qualify, what property will be designated, how funds and contracts will transfer and why the arrangement improves governance.

Obtain professional advice, prepare accurate plans and comply with the comprehensive-resolution process and registration steps. Do not promise immediate financial savings based on reallocating costs without evidence.

Communicate the proposal to every relevant owner and allow adequate time for informed voting. A strong process is more important than forcing a quick result.

33. A practical 30-day document audit

During the first week, obtain the plan and list of management bodies. In week two, classify major facilities. In week three, reconcile separate bills and fund accounts. In week four, raise unresolved questions at the proper meeting or through written management requests.

Prioritise high-cost assets such as building structure, roof, carparks, plant rooms and lifts rather than spending all the time debating minor decorative preferences.

Create a one-page responsibility map. It will help the household understand fees and make future disputes easier to resolve.

34. The final two-tier ownership checklist

Confirm that Limited Common Property is lawfully designated, identify the members of any sub-MC, and distinguish main from group-only common property. Review both financial accounts and applicable by-laws.

Understand the comprehensive-resolution process for major structural changes, rather than confusing it with an ordinary or meeting-based 90% resolution.

A well-governed two-tier development has clear title, accountable management and transparent cost allocation. Those facts matter more than whether the brochure says residential and retail facilities are separate.

55 subsidiary MCST scenarios and financial questions

These examples explain statutory management and ownership questions, not a legal ruling on a particular strata plan or resolution. Obtain the actual records and suitable advice.

1. A residential tower sits above a shopping mall

Ask whether a main MCST and residential/retail sub-MCs legally exist. The physical development form alone does not prove a two-tier scheme.

2. The apartment has an exclusive residents’ pool

Check the strata plan for designated Limited Common Property. A locked pool gate is not a legal designation by itself.

3. The retail escalator needs expensive replacement

Determine whether the escalator belongs to retail limited common property or main common property. Do not allocate costs based solely on its floor location.

4. Residents and shop customers share one driveway

Check whether the driveway is main common property and how expenses are apportioned. Shared use is an important fact but needs title confirmation.

5. A buyer sees two maintenance fees

They may fund main and sub-MC obligations separately. Request both budgets, share values and the relevant legal basis.

6. An agent says the pool fund has a large balance

Ask whether the figure is in the residential sub-MC sinking fund and what commitments are outstanding. A main MC balance may be different.

7. Owners want to form a sub-MC after a casual vote

BCA identifies a comprehensive resolution for conversion from single-tier to two-tier management. A simple show of hands is insufficient.

8. The meeting obtained 90% support among those present

That may resemble a 90% meeting resolution, not necessarily the comprehensive resolution requiring 90% of all share value after twelve weeks.

9. The comprehensive vote has run only three days

The definition includes a twelve-week voting period after the meeting. Do not announce formal passage using the wrong timeline.

10. An absent owner is ignored in the vote calculation

The comprehensive-resolution denominator refers to all relevant share values. Absentees can affect whether the statutory threshold is reached.

11. The council proposes new limited-common-property boundaries

Formal resolutions and registration are needed. Drawing a new coloured map does not change legal rights.

12. Owners want to dissolve a sub-MC

BCA identifies a comprehensive resolution for the relevant dissolution arrangement. Check the transfer of liabilities and accounts as well.

13. The developer markets an office sub-MC

Ask for the registered corporation and designation. A marketing or planning term is not by itself a completed legal structure.

14. A tenant of a shop wants to vote at the sub-MC AGM

Tenancy alone does not make them a subsidiary proprietor. Voting depends on legal ownership or valid proxy authority.

15. The unit was sold yesterday

The relevant owner rights and obligations follow the actual transferred strata lot, including sub-MC membership where applicable.

16. An owner never uses the pool

Statutory contributions are not generally optional usage subscriptions. Check membership, share value and the adopted budget.

17. A retail owner complains about pool costs

Examine whether the pool is genuinely designated for residential owners or is main common property. Accurate title and accounts determine allocation.

18. A residential owner complains about central air-conditioning costs for shops

Check the designated commercial facilities and who owns or operates the plant. BCA uses commercial air-conditioning as an illustrative sub-MC case.

19. A shared column under the tower needs repair

Structural components may be excluded from Limited Common Property. Seek engineering and strata legal advice rather than simply assigning it to the shops.

20. Shared water pipes serve both residential and office lots

The statutory exclusions for necessary shared services matter. Determine the actual pipe function and title before dividing responsibility.

21. The estate has two property managers

Their commercial contracts do not necessarily establish two corporations. Ask for actual MCST and sub-MC legal records.

22. The same manager sends two invoices

That can still be lawful where two bodies exist. Check invoice issuer, fund and service scope instead of assuming a duplicate bill.

23. The main MCST has no sinking reserve

Request the correct financial account and planned major works. A rich residential sub-MC cannot automatically fund every shared estate replacement.

24. A residential sub-MC wants to regulate its pool

It can enforce appropriate by-laws relating to its Limited Common Property within statutory powers. It cannot invent rules for unrelated main property.

25. A commercial manager posts rules for all residential lifts

Ask which entity has lawful authority over those lifts and whether any main MCST resolution applies.

26. A new owner needs a facility access card

Contact the relevant managing agent and check the rights attaching to the registered lot. Card possession alone is not legal membership.

27. The MCST proposes a special levy for shared roof repairs

Review structural exclusions, title and the main MCST’s statutory role. Do not assume the residential sub-MC must pay solely because units lie under the roof.

28. A private stairway is inside a single strata lot

That is not automatically Limited Common Property; it may be part of the lot itself. The strata plan decides.

29. A corridor serves only residents but remains main common property

A practical exclusive use does not necessarily create legal Limited Common Property. Confirm formal designation before changing contributions.

30. An owner wants to privatise a common corridor

Individual exclusive-use rights and sub-MC designation are separate legal questions requiring appropriate statutory procedures.

31. A mixed-use building does not have any sub-MC

One MCST may still lawfully manage the project under its actual structure. Two-tier management is not mandatory merely because uses differ.

32. A new buyer expects shop rental income to pay residential fees

Unless the title and arrangements establish an entitlement, the buyer should not assume ownership of commercial rent.

33. The commercial basement floods

Identify which body owns the relevant drainage, pumps and carpark services and whether shared building structure is involved.

34. The retail entrance has an expensive security system

Check which lots benefit and the registered legal designation, then the appropriate fund and approval.

35. A sub-MC proposes increasing fees after a repair

Examine the correct budget, share-value allocation, resolution and fund. Compare the increased charge with actual contractor estimates.

36. Owners want to use a 75% special resolution to create a two-tier system

BCA identifies comprehensive resolution for this change. A special-resolution threshold cannot simply be substituted.

37. The chairperson calls every high-threshold motion ‘unanimous’

The Act has distinct unanimous, 90%, comprehensive and consensus categories. Read the exact statutory definition.

38. A sub-MC needs an extra managing agent

Review its powers, authorised contract and procurement rather than assuming the main MC manager must perform all specialist tasks for free.

39. An AGM document shows only consolidated accounts

Ask for the distinct corporation’s management and sinking-fund records where relevant. Transparent accounting matters for owner obligations.

40. A developer has already specified Limited Common Property in sales documents

The initial designated property and relevant registration should be verified through strata records. It may not require the same conversion process as creating it later.

41. The condominium’s gym is shared with office tenants

Check whether the facility is truly group-only or general common property. Access rules can differ from the legal title classification.

42. A tenant complains about a broken residential lift

Report through the management body responsible for that component. The landlord may need to assist with tenancy-related access issues.

43. A buyer receives a title search with unfamiliar sub-MC references

Ask the conveyancing solicitor to explain membership, fees and exclusive facilities before completion.

44. Two apartment towers have different sub-MCs

Confirm which lots belong to each group, any facilities they share and how estate-wide services remain with the main MC.

45. An owner has not attended any AGM

Obtain minutes, current budgets, by-laws and the sub-MC’s next meeting schedule. Lack of attendance does not eliminate legally imposed contributions.

46. A pool contractor asks the wrong body to approve work

Determine whether the main or relevant sub-MC controls the pool. Contracts should be authorised by the body with the statutory duty.

47. A buyer hears that two-tier management always saves money

Separate accounting can improve fairness but does not guarantee lower total costs. Professional management and adequate maintenance remain necessary.

48. A new council considers changing the current structure

Prepare an accurate list of legal asset boundaries, present liabilities, owner groups and consultation requirements before proposing a comprehensive resolution.

49. An owner suspects an invalid vote

Request the meeting notice, resolution type, voting register and counted share values. Seek proper strata advice instead of relying on hearsay.

50. A shop owner believes apartment owners control every decision

The main MCST and any sub-MCs follow relevant statutory membership and voting rules. Identify which issue each body can decide.

51. The development plans a major facade repair

Structural and exterior statutory exclusions can affect allocation. Obtain the appropriate legal and engineering analysis before charging a subgroup.

52. A household compares two mixed-use condos

Compare ownership structures, separate levies, accounts, major repairs and facility access rather than simply monthly headline management fees.

53. The estate has a first AGM approaching

Ask for the main MCST’s budget and any sub-MC records and designation. The formal structure should be understandable to new owners.

54. A seller says the sub-MC is only a voluntary residents’ club

Section 79 establishes it as a statutory corporate body. Confirm whether it actually exists and explain its enforceable contributions.

55. Before a binding purchase

Get the legal plans, corporation records, separate budgets, by-laws and debt or levy positions. An attractive pool or mall link should not obscure long-term ownership duties.

Frequently asked questions

What is a subsidiary management corporation?

A statutory corporation of owners who benefit from designated Limited Common Property in a strata development.

Is a sub-MC the same as the main MCST?

No. The main body manages general common property, while the sub-MC handles its designated Limited Common Property.

Must every condo above a mall have one?

No. The actual registered strata management structure determines whether a sub-MC exists.

Can a development have several sub-MCs?

Yes, where statutory criteria and proper designation are satisfied.

What is Limited Common Property?

Part of common property legally designated for the exclusive benefit of two or more but not all relevant strata lots, subject to statutory exclusions.

Does a sub-MC maintain its own funds?

Yes. Section 79 requires management and sinking funds for its limited common property.

Can an owner pay both main and sub-MC charges?

Yes, where the owner belongs to the relevant sub-MC and is also part of the main corporation.

What vote creates two-tier management later?

BCA identifies a comprehensive resolution, requiring at least 90% of the total relevant share value after the statutory twelve-week period.

Is that the same as a 90% meeting resolution?

No. The denominator and timing under the two definitions differ.

Can the sub-MC own the building’s shared foundations?

Statutory exclusions prevent certain fundamental structural and shared service components from being treated as limited common property.

Can a sub-MC be dissolved by a simple majority?

Not through an informal vote; statutory comprehensive-resolution and related processes can apply.

What should I ask before buying?

The actual strata plan, designated property, legal sub-MC membership, two sets of accounts, current by-laws and future major levies.

Official law, strata plans and guidance

The Building (Strata Management) Act and registered strata documents determine the legal structure. The difference between a comprehensive resolution and a meeting-based 90% resolution is particularly important. Verify current provisions before acting.

Editorial review 10 November 2026. Independent guidance, not legal opinion on your corporation or land title. Immutable Clementi reference article unchanged.