What Is an MCST?

BCA's Guide 1 describes the MCST as the body made up of the subsidiary proprietors in one strata title plan, each with its own strata title plan number. It can sue, be sued and sign contracts. The owner of a lot is a subsidiary proprietor (SP): "a purchaser to whom ownership of a unit has been transferred, as shown on the subsidiary strata certificate of title".

BCA's 2025 guidance: "The Management Corporation (MC) is constituted upon registration of the Strata Title Plan (STP) at SLA." SLA issues subsidiary strata certificates of title for a new development "When a development with three or more strata units is completed up to roof level and strata subdivision approval has been granted".

Singapore Statutes Online lists the Act as the Building (Strata Management) Act 2004. BCA's circular of 30 October 2026 calls it the Act "formerly known as the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act". The Land Titles (Strata) Act's definitions point to the new name from 1 October 2025. The Regulations keep their old names: the Building Maintenance (Strata Management) Regulations 2005 and the Strata Titles Boards Regulations 2005.

BCA, under the Ministry of National Development, administers the Act through the Commissioner of Buildings, who accepts share values, approves maintenance charges, monitors AGMs and by-law lodgement, and enforces the Act's offences. In August 2025 BCA said it "is reviewing the BMSMA to strengthen self-governance and ensure better estate maintenance".

• Common property is the land and building outside every lot that occupiers of 2 or more lots use, plus shared pipes and cables, structural elements and the waterproof membrane of an external wall or roof, wherever they sit (Land Titles (Strata) Act s 3).
• Windows that open on an exterior wall are part of the lot; other exterior windows are common property unless the plan says otherwise (s 3(2)).
• Share value for a wholly residential development rises by 1 for each 50 square metre band: 50 m2 and below is 5, 51 to 100 is 6, 101 to 150 is 7, and so on (BCA filing guidelines, October 2025).
• Share value sets each owner's contributions, votes on a poll and share of the common property.

• A council is elected "where there are more than 3 SPs" (Guide 15). BCA's guides do not say who acts as council with 3 owners or fewer.
• MCSTs with 10 or fewer lots are exempt from the rule that one council member cannot hold more than one office, and from the treasurer's two-term limit (Guide 2).
• A chairperson who owns at least 30% of the share value and attends in person meets the general meeting quorum alone (Guide 4).
• A proxy can act for at most 2% of the lots or 2 lots, whichever is higher (Guide 4).
• If an MCST runs more than 6 months without a chairperson, secretary and treasurer, every owner who knows this becomes jointly liable for its debts from then on (Guide 2).
• The MCST's books must be audited by a public accountant; BCA's guides give no exemption for small schemes.

The owner developer manages the development before the MCST exists. The developer must hold the first AGM within 13 months after the MCST is constituted, or within 8 weeks of a written request from owners of at least 10% of the lots. Within one week after the first AGM it hands control, money and keys to the council, and within two weeks the plans, contracts, warranties, strata roll and insurance policies (Guides 3 and 7).

For new projects that apply for planning permission on or after 1 June 2027, developers must get the Commissioner's written approval of a maximum maintenance charge before sales start (BCA and URA circular, 30 October 2026).