Purpose: There have been complaints and criticisms of the conditions and performance of university buildings in Malaysia. The purpose of this paper is to report research looking into building maintenance practices in Malaysia. Design/methodology approach: To achieve its objectives, the research combined a literature review and a case study. The case study aimed to provide a details and factual information on the maintenance procedures of a university. Findings: It was found that the maintenance procedures on the case studied were corrective and budget driven. It was also found that the university favours out-sourcing to in-sourcing their maintenance service. Research limitations/implications: The findings of this study are based on a case, therefore the findings may not represent the maintenance practices of other public universities in Malaysia or elsewhere. Practical implications: Some universities may adopt some of the good maintenance practices of the university studied. Some of the observations could be helpful to other universities striving to achieve best maintenance practices. Originality/value: The paper is able to expose the weakness in university maintenance practices in Malaysia and outlines some positive attributes. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.