KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 29 -- As strata properties become an increasingly common choice for homebuyers, owning one involves more than paying a mortgage and maintenance fees.

While a new home may be your own, living in a strata development means not everything is entirely up to you. Residents are expected to abide by rules, commonly known as by-laws, governing how they use their units, facilities and common spaces.

The law behind strata by-laws

For those unfamiliar with them, these rules form part of the broader legal framework governing strata properties in Peninsular Malaysia and the Federal Territory of Labuan under the Strata Management Act 2013 (SMA).

Sarawak has its own Strata Management Ordinance 2019.

Sabah, meanwhile, passed the ...