This study empirically examines the current status and determinants of maintenance fees for commercial buildings in the Konkuk University commercial district of Seoul. Maintenance fees for small and medium-sized commercial buildings lack standardized ...
This study empirically examines the current status and determinants of maintenance fees for commercial buildings in the Konkuk University commercial district of Seoul. Maintenance fees for small and medium-sized commercial buildings lack standardized legal guidelines, and prior research has predominantly focused on large office buildings. To address this gap, the study analyzes 2025 maintenance fee data from 291 buildings and 998 commercial units, including three building types: standalone commercial buildings, mixed-use commercial–residential buildings, and sectional commercial units within office facilities. The dependent variable is the maintenance fee per pyeong, while independent variables are categorized into seven groups—land characteristics, location and pedestrian-flow characteristics, building and amenity characteristics, owner characteristics, building management characteristics, individual unit characteristics, and fee-imposition characteristics. A Linear Regression Analysis was conducted.
The results show that officially assessed land price and two-sided road exposure have significant positive effects on maintenance fees, and buildings closer to subway stations tend to incur higher fees. Among building and amenity characteristics, larger gross floor area and the standalone commercial building type (relative to mixed-use or sectional units) significantly increase fee levels. Conversely, building age exhibits a negative effect, which suggests that the prevalent long-term ownership and self-management practices in the study area may offset cost increases typically associated with physical aging. The presence of professional outsourced management, common restrooms, and underground parking are identified as key factors elevating maintenance fees. Leased floor area shows a negative relationship per pyeong, indicating diminishing increases in fee levels beyond a certain size, while floor level does not exert a statistically significant influence. Regarding fee-imposition methods, actual-cost-based schemes result in lower maintenance fees than mixed or flat-rate schemes, and within flat-rate schemes, the per-pyeong imposition significantly increases fee levels. The findings highlight that the structural and managerial characteristics of commercial buildings substantially affect maintenance fees, providing empirical evidence that may inform future discussions on standardizing fee-assessment guidelines and improving related institutional frameworks.