Article 335 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 335 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الثاني: آثار عقد البيع أولًا: التزامات البائع
The article lists what the buyer may claim from the seller if the whole item is claimed and the owner does not approve the sale: the price, fruits, expenses and compensation.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا استحق المبيع كله ولم يجز المستحق البيع، فللمشتري أن يطلب من البائع الآتي:
أ- ثمن المبيع.
ب- قيمة الثمار التي أُلزِمَ المشتري بردها للمستحق.
ج- النفقات النافعة التي أحدثها المشتري في المبيع مما لا يلزم المستحق تعويض المشتري عنها.
د- النفقات الكمالية إذا كان البائع سيء النية.
هـ- التعويض عن أي أضرار أخرى نشأت باستحقاق المبيع.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 335 explained in plain English
If it is established that the whole item sold belongs to another person (the claimant of entitlement) and that person refuses to approve the sale, the buyer loses the item. Here the article specifies what the buyer may claim from the seller, which is five things:
- The price of the item that he paid.
- The value of the fruits the buyer was obliged to return to the claimant, such as the rent of a property or the produce of a farm.
- Useful expenses the buyer incurred on the item, to the extent that the claimant is not obliged to compensate him for them.
- Luxury expenses, which may be claimed from the seller only if he is in bad faith.
- Compensation for any other damages arising from the entitlement to the item.
Note the difference between useful and luxury expenses: the buyer has recourse against the seller for the former within the stated limits without any requirement that the seller be in bad faith, whereas for the latter the seller's bad faith is required.
This article is the counterpart of Article 334, which deals with the case where the claimant approves the sale, so that the item remains with the buyer and the claimant has recourse against the seller for the price. Where entitlement concerns only part of the item sold, it is regulated by Article 336.
The article does not specify how the value of the fruits, expenses or compensation is assessed, so the buyer is advised to keep what proves what he paid and spent, and to consult a lawyer specialized in civil or real estate cases to assess his claim.
Practical example
Nasser bought a rest house in Qassim, leased it out and added improvements to it. It was then ruled to be owned by another person who did not approve the sale, and Nasser was ordered to return the rent he had collected. Nasser may claim from the seller the price, the value of the rent he returned, the useful expenses for which the owner is not obliged to compensate him, and compensation for his other damages.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 335 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
What is the buyer entitled to if the true owner takes the item sold?
If the claimant does not approve the sale, the buyer may claim from the seller the price, the value of the fruits he returned, useful expenses not otherwise compensated, and compensation for other damages.
Does the buyer recover luxury expenses from the seller?
Only if the seller is in bad faith.
Does the claim include what the buyer spent improving the item?
Yes, the useful expenses the buyer incurred on the item, to the extent that the claimant is not obliged to compensate him for them.
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البيع عقد يُمَلِّكُ بمقتضاه البائع المبيع للمشتري مقابل ثمنٍ نقدي.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.