Condo Roof Leak on the Top Floor: Is the JMB or MC Responsible?

General information, not legal advice

This guide summarises general principles under the Strata Management Act 2013 as commonly understood. Each development has its own by-laws, and strata plans define exactly what is common property and what is within a parcel. For a specific dispute, check with your management office, read your by-laws and strata plan, or speak to a lawyer.

Why top-floor units get roof leaks

Most condos and apartments in the Klang Valley, Johor Bahru and Penang have flat reinforced concrete roofs protected by a waterproofing membrane, sometimes with a screed and tiles on top. Over time the membrane cracks, laps open up, and roof drains clog with leaves and debris. Water ponds on the slab and finds its way through cracks into the ceiling of the top-floor units below.

Other common causes include water tank areas, M&E plinths and pipe penetrations that were never sealed properly, parapet wall cracks, and penthouse terraces where the boundary between common roof and private terrace is unclear.

Who is generally responsible for what

Under the Act, the JMB or MC maintains and repairs common property, while each owner is responsible for their own parcel. The table below shows how this usually plays out for roof leaks. Your strata plan and by-laws decide the details.

How to report a roof leak to the management office

• Photograph and video the leak with dates, including the weather that day.
• Write to the management office or JMB/MC by email or letter, not only by phone or chat. State your unit number, where the leak is, when it started and how often it happens.
• Ask for a joint inspection of the roof above your unit, and request the findings in writing.
• Keep a log every time it rains and leaks. Patterns help identify the cause.
• Follow up in writing if there is no response within a reasonable time.
• If the matter cannot be resolved, ask about the Strata Management Tribunal, which handles many strata disputes.

What a proper flat roof repair looks like

Patching a single crack with sealant is a short-term measure. A lasting repair on a flat RC roof usually involves clearing the area, checking falls to drains, treating cracks, then laying a liquid waterproofing membrane or a torch-on membrane with correct laps, upturns at parapets and sealed details around pipes and drains. A flood test confirms the result before the area is handed back.

• Surface preparation and removal of loose screed or old membrane where needed.
• Crack treatment and re-forming of falls if water ponds.
• New membrane with upturns at parapets and around penetrations.
• Drain outlets cleared and fitted with guards.
• Flood or water test and a written warranty.

Indicative costs a JMB or MC can expect

These are indicative 2026 ranges. Large condo roofs above about 5,000 sq ft receive a formal quotation after a site survey. The exact price is always confirmed after inspection, based on roof design, access and damage.

For JMB and MC committees: planning ahead

Roof membranes have a service life. Planning a re-waterproofing project through the sinking fund is usually cheaper than handling repeated complaints and ceiling repairs in many top-floor units. A condition survey of the whole roof, with photos and a marked-up plan, helps the committee prioritise and present the case at a general meeting.

Request an inspection

Our CIDB-registered installation partner inspects flat roofs for owners, JMBs and MCs, explains the cause and provides a quotation. See roof waterproofing, commercial and large-roof works and ceiling leak repair, then book your free inspection.