Unit factor: what it means in Ugandan property
Updated 3 November 2026 · Land & Property editorial team
A unit factor is the share figure on a condominium plan that sets an owner's share of the common property. NALAW reports that common property is held by all unit owners as tenants in common, in shares proportional to the unit factors, and that the Registrar certifies each owner's share on the unit's title. Before you buy a flat, ask for the plan and the title and check the share in writing.
What is a unit factor?
A unit factor is the share figure given to each unit on a condominium plan. It sets how much of the common property that unit owner shares with the other owners. The rule sits in the Condominium Property Act, 2001, and NALAW, a Ugandan legal resource, summarises how it works.
Think of it as the unit's share in the shared parts of the building, not a price tag. Read the plan rather than guessing a unit's share from its asking price.
How does the unit factor affect common property?
NALAW reports that common property belongs to all unit owners as tenants in common. Each owner's share is proportional to the unit factors for their units. The Registrar certifies each owner's share on the unit's title.
Illustration only: if one unit's factor is twice that of another, its owner holds twice the share of the common property. The real figures are on the registered plan, not in this example.
Does the unit factor decide service charges?
The sources we checked do not set out how service contributions are calculated, so this page gives no formula. NALAW also describes owners contributing equally to maintenance in one place, which does not clearly match proportional shares. The two are not reconciled in that summary.
Before you buy, ask for the by-laws, the latest owners' corporation budget and the monthly service charge. Compare them with the unit factor shown on the plan and the title. For more on the charge itself, read the condo service charge guide.
What is the common confusion?
Buyers often treat the unit factor as the size of the flat or as its price. The plan sets a share of the shared parts. It does not set a value. Ask the developer or agent to show the plan and the title for the exact unit, and check the figures against each other.
For the body that manages the shared parts, see the owners' corporation entry.
Frequently asked questions
What does unit factor mean in Uganda?
It is the share figure given to a unit on a condominium plan. It sets the owner's share of the common property. NALAW's summary of the Condominium Property Act, 2001 says the shares are proportional to the unit factors. It is not the price of the flat.
Is the unit factor shown on the title?
NALAW reports that the Registrar certifies each owner's share on the unit's title. Check the title itself, not only the sales brochure, before you pay anything.
Does the unit factor set the service charge?
The sources we checked do not give a formula, so this page cannot say. Ask for the by-laws and the current budget, and check in writing how the charge is worked out before you sign.
Is a bigger unit factor always better?
Not necessarily. A bigger unit factor means a bigger share of the common property. Whether that suits you depends on the building's rules and running costs, which the plan alone does not show.
Where do I check the unit factor before buying a flat?
Ask for the registered condominium plan and the title for that unit. Confirm that the figure on the plan matches the figure on the title, and ask the seller or developer to explain any difference in writing.
Sources
- Condominium ownership and common property (NALAW), NALAW (accessed 2026-11)