Article 415 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 415 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الأول: إنشاء عقد الإيجار
The article provides that a lease extends after its term ends, to the extent of a pressing necessity if proven, with the lessee paying the fair rent, unless otherwise agreed.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا انقضت مدة الإيجار وثبت وجود ضرورة ملحة لامتدادها فإنها تمتد بقدر تلك الضرورة على أن يؤدي المستأجر أجرة المثل عن هذه المدة، ما لم يتفق على خلاف ذلك.
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 415 explained in plain English
This article deals with the case where the lease term ends while there is a pressing necessity for its extension, and sets a rule for it with specific conditions:
- The lease term has ended: the rule concerns what happens after the agreed term ends.
- A pressing necessity is proven: the lessee's mere wish to stay is not enough; the existence of a pressing necessity for extending the term must be proven.
- Extension to the extent of the necessity: the term is extended to the extent of that necessity only, and no more.
- The fair rent: the lessee pays the fair rent for the extension period, that is, the usual rent for a similar leased item, which is not necessarily the rent stated in the contract.
All of this applies unless the parties agree otherwise; if the contract contains a different agreement, it is the one that counts.
The article does not specify the forms of pressing necessity or how it is to be proven; that is assessed according to the circumstances of each case.
This article is connected to the rules on the lease period in Articles 412, 413 and 414, which determine the start of the period, the case where it is not specified, and attributing the contract to a future term.
To assess a particular situation, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in real estate or civil cases.
Practical example
The lease term of a farm rented by a farmer in Qassim ended before the crop he had sown in it during the term was ripe, and it was proven that there was a pressing necessity for him to stay until the harvest. The term is extended to the extent of this necessity, and the farmer pays the fair rent for it, unless the contract provided otherwise.
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 415 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
Does a lease contract extend after its term ends?
It extends if a pressing necessity for its extension is proven, and only to the extent of that necessity, unless otherwise agreed.
What rent does the lessee pay for the extension period?
The lessee pays the fair rent for the extension period.
Can it be agreed that the lease will not be extended?
Yes. The article provides that its rule applies unless otherwise agreed.
More articles on Lease Contract
- Article 287
The article prevents set-off between a depositary's debt against the depositor and the deposit, or between a borrower's debt against the lender and the loaned item, except by agreement of the parties.
إذا كان للمودع لديه دينٌ على المودع أو كان للمستعير دين على المعير، فلا تقع المقاصة بين الدين والوديعة أو بين الدين والشيء المعار ولو كان الدين من نوع أي منهما
- Article 296
The article sets a period of 5 years after which a claim is not heard against a party who denies it, for the rights of the liberal professions and recurring periodic rights, with an exception of 10 years for the proceeds owed by a bad-faith possessor and endowment proceeds.
دون إخلال بالنصوص النظامية، لا تُسمع الدعوى على المنكر بانقضاء (خمس) سنوات في الحقوق الآتية: أ- حقوق أصحاب المهن الحرة، كالأطباء والمحامين والمهندسين عما أدوه م
- Article 407
The article defines a lease as a contract by which the lessor enables the lessee to benefit from a non-consumable thing for a specified period in return for rent.
الإيجار عقد يُمَكِّنُ بمقتضاه المؤجر المستأجر من الانتفاع مدةً معينةً بشيءٍ غير قابل للاستهلاك مقابل أجرةٍ.
- Article 408
The article allows the leased item to be a thing, a usufruct or a right, specified individually or by type, and also allows it to be an undivided share.
1- يصح أن يكون المأجور عينًا أو منفعةً أو حقًّا؛ سواء كان معيَّنًا بالذات أو بالنوع. 2- يصح أن يكون المأجور حصَّةً شائعة.
- Article 409
The article allows it to suffice to state sound bases for determining the rent, and allows the rent to be a specified sum together with a known percentage of the output or profit.
يصح أن يقتصر تقدير الأجرة على بيان أسسٍ صالحةٍ تتحدد بمقتضاها، ويصح أن تكون بمبلغٍ معيَّنٍ مع نسبةٍ معلومةٍ من الناتج أو من الربح.
- Article 410
The article allows a lease contract to require that the rent be paid in advance, deferred or paid in installments.
يصح اشتراط تعجيل الأجرة أو تأجيلها أو تقسيطها.
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.