Who repairs cracks in a condominium?
It depends where the crack is and what caused it. BCA's summary of the 2018 strata law amendments states that foundations, beams, columns and slabs, excluding underlayment, are common property, which the MCST must keep in good and serviceable repair. Cosmetic plaster cracks inside your unit are normally your own responsibility. Report any crack in a structural element, or one you suspect is structural, to the managing agent in writing.
From the RRD Field Guide, checked against the sources cited in Cracks in Walls, Beams and Ceilings in Singapore: Which Are Structural and When to Worry. General information, not advice for your project.
The fuller picture
Most hairline cracks in plaster, paint and at wall-to-beam joints are non-structural, caused by shrinkage and thermal movement. Worry when cracks are wide or widening, diagonal or stepped, tapered, recurring, accompanied by rust stains, sagging or sticking doors, or appear in beams, columns or slabs. Monitor with dated tell-tales and call a Professional Engineer for those signs.
More questions on this topic
- Are hairline cracks in walls normal?
- What crack width is considered structural?
- Which cracks should I worry about?
- How do I monitor a crack?
- Can I fill cracks myself before selling or renting out?
- Do cracks in a new home fall under the developer's defects liability?
- Does the Periodic Structural Inspection look at cracks?