Buying off-plan in Malaysia: what to check

Step 1: Who is selling: the company behind the project

Ask for the developer’s full legal name and registration number, not only the brand, and look the company up in the official register. The company that signs your contract should be the one that holds the land or the approvals.

In our data

49 of 52 projects we track in Malaysia name the developer by its legal company.

Examples

• M Zenni: developer named as Vienna View Development Sdn. Bhd.
• Residensi M Aria: developer named as M Aria Sdn Bhd
• Residensi M Azura: developer named as M Azura Sdn. Bhd.

Step 2: The land and what you will own

Find out exactly what you are buying: freehold, leasehold or a right of use, who holds the title today and what charges sit on it. Ask for the official registry extract, not a copy prepared by the seller.

In our data

4 of 52 projects we track in Malaysia describe the units as leasehold in the sources we read. 20 of 52 projects we track in Malaysia publish an address or location precise enough for a map pin.

Freehold and leasehold in off-plan property

Step 3: Permits and approvals

Ask for the permit number and date and confirm them with the authority that issued them. A company licence or a sales registration is not a building permit.

What the rules and registers say

• Search the project or developer on KPKT’s TEDUH portal: it shows the developer’s licence and the project’s Advertising Permit and Developer’s Licence (APDL) and their status. Ask for both numbers and match them with what the sales gallery shows.KPKT TEDUH (Ministry of Local Government Development) (opened 14 November 2026) · Kolaboro register guide: Malaysia (opened 14 November 2026)

In our data

42 of 52 projects we track in Malaysia publish a permit or licence number.

Examples

• M Zenni: permit or licence number 12029-3/09-2028/0779(A)-(S) published
• Residensi M Aria: permit or licence number 31251-1/01-2029/0037(A)-(S) published
• Residensi M Azura: permit or licence number 30834-1/08-2027/0769(A)-(S) published

Step 4: Where your money goes

Before each payment, know which account it goes to and what protects it if the project stops. Pay only into the account named in your contract, never into a personal account or a broker’s.

In our data

22 of 52 projects we track in Malaysia state how buyer payments are protected (escrow, bank guarantee or insurance).

Examples

• M Zenni: deposit protection stated in the sources we read
• Residensi M Aria: deposit protection stated in the sources we read
• Residensi M Azura: deposit protection stated in the sources we read

Escrow and deposit protection in off-plan property · Payment plans and deposits in off-plan property

Step 5: Recording your purchase and the contract

Check how your purchase is recorded before completion and what the contract says about delays, changes and refunds. Have an independent local lawyer or notary read it before you sign.

Step 6: Handover dates and progress on site

Compare the handover date you are promised with the record: earlier dates for this project and how the developer’s other projects went. Then check progress on site before each staged payment.

What the rules and registers say

• TEDUH also reports the project’s progress as declared, whether an extension of time was granted and whether the project is listed as delayed (sick) or abandoned. Check it before each progress payment.KPKT TEDUH (Ministry of Local Government Development) (opened 14 November 2026)

In our data

1 of 52 projects we track in Malaysia have a handover date on record that has passed; 12 had the date moved later.

Examples

• 111 Menerung (One Eleven Menerung): handover date on record has passed; months since: 11
• Crown Penang: handover date moved later; months added: 18
• Amiba Bukit Bintang (formerly IBN Bukit Bintang): handover date on record December 2029, no change so far