The housing maintenance fund is mainly used for the overhaul, renewal and transformation of residential parts and facilities after the warranty period expires, so it needs to be paid.

According to the Measures for the Administration of Special Maintenance Funds for Residential Buildings:

Article 4 A maintenance fund (hereinafter referred to as the "maintenance fund") shall be established for residential parts and facilities. The maintenance fund shall be used in accordance with the Financial Management Regulations of Property Management Enterprises (No.7 [1998] of the Ministry of Finance), and shall be specially used for the overhaul, renewal and transformation of residential parts and facilities and equipment after the warranty period expires.

article 5 when commercial housing is sold, the buyer and the seller shall sign an agreement on the payment of maintenance funds. Property buyers should pay the maintenance fund to the selling unit according to the proportion of 2%-3% of the purchase price. The maintenance fund collected by the selling unit belongs to all the owners and is not included in the residential sales income. The proportion of maintenance fund collection shall be determined by the real estate administrative departments of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government.

in 1998, the housing maintenance fund was called the housing maintenance fund, and later it was changed to the commercial housing maintenance fund. In 27, according to Decree No.165 jointly issued by the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Finance at that time, it was finally the special housing maintenance fund.