𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐬

…𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒊𝒎 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒇𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊-𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒉𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑷𝒉𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈

By Kezang Choden

With flat ownership becoming increasingly common in urban areas such as Thimphu and Phuentsholing, the government is preparing to introduce strata rules to regulate the management and maintenance of buildings with multiple owners. This move responds to growing concerns over the lack of a legal framework governing shared infrastructure in such properties.

During the ongoing National Assembly session, the Member from Phuentsholing Constituency highlighted the urgent need for clear and enforceable regulations to oversee the upkeep of common facilities. He pointed out that essential infrastructure such as drainage systems, roofing, staircases, lifts, parking spaces and building insurance often remain neglected due to the absence of collective responsibility and proper management among co-owners.

Urban housing demand has steadily increased in recent years, leading to the construction of more apartment complexes. However, without appropriate rules, disputes and confusion over shared responsibilities are likely to grow. The proposed strata rules are expected to streamline ownership structures, promote cooperation among residents and ensure proper maintenance of shared infrastructure.

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, in coordination with the National Land Commission Secretariat, confirmed that the draft Strata Rules and Regulations have been finalized and await official endorsement. These rules aim to clarify ownership rights and responsibilities related to shared infrastructure in multi-owner buildings. Once approved, the regulations will mandate the formation of homeowners’ associations, introduce collective maintenance systems, and require compulsory building insurance for all such residential structures.

The Minister noted that the draft rules underwent multiple consultations involving private property owners and real estate developers. He said the new regulations are expected to improve safety standards, ensure habitability, and promote the long-term sustainability of apartment buildings across the country. Given the rising trend of flat ownership in urban centers, these regulations are considered a necessary step toward better urban housing management.

A flat owner from Taba, Thimphu, expressed his awareness of the legal and financial responsibilities related to maintaining shared infrastructure. He noted that maintenance needs largely depend on construction quality. “If the shared infrastructure is well-built, major maintenance may not be needed for three to five years,” he said. He emphasized the importance of coordination among flat owners and suggested appointing a coordinator from among the owners to oversee communication and joint decisions. This coordinator could use social media platforms such as Messenger, Telegram or WhatsApp to create a group for sharing problems, seeking opinions and planning collective maintenance activities.

The Ministry announced that the final Strata Rules and Regulations are expected to be implemented by the first quarter of the 2025–2026 fiscal year. The Asian Development Bank is providing technical support to refine the draft before official rollout. These regulations address a critical policy gap, especially as rising land prices force more Bhutanese to choose flat ownership as an affordable housing option. In the absence of a legal framework, multi-owner buildings have begun to experience serious issues, with shared spaces often left in disrepair and disputes over maintenance becoming common.

On building insurance, the flat owner explained that coverage usually depends on whether the flats were purchased with bank loans. In such cases, buyers are required to obtain fire or earthquake insurance before the bank processes the loan. He added that once all flats in a building are sold to individual owners, the developer no longer holds responsibility. “Some building owners ensure that drainage systems connect to the main line, provide sufficient parking, install gutters over the roof, lay electricity cables properly, and connect water tanks to each flat. But after selling the flats, many stop offering any backup services even when buyers raise valid concerns,” he said. According to him, after full occupancy, maintenance responsibility lies entirely with the flat owners, including keeping parking and stairway lights functional, cleaning common areas, and maintaining stairway cleanliness, which he said often happens twice a week.

He stressed the need for a standard legal framework to address maintenance challenges. “Thromde should introduce a common legal mechanism and conduct thorough verification before issuing occupancy certificates. Some buildings in Taba lack enough parking for all owners,” he said. The growing demand for urban housing and increasing cases of poorly maintained shared infrastructure make these regulations particularly urgent in fast-developing areas like Thimphu.

Officials from both the National Land Commission Secretariat and the Ministry described the upcoming Strata Rules as a major milestone in improving urban housing management. They said the regulations are expected to bring better organization and safety to residential buildings, particularly in rapidly growing urban centers. They also noted that the rules will provide legal clarity to homeowners and streamline the management of shared infrastructure in multi-owner buildings.