Article 441 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 441 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الرابع: انتهاء عقد الإيجار
A lease does not end with the death of one of the contracting parties; the tenant's heirs may request termination in specified cases, and the lessor may request it if the contract was made for reasons personal to the deceased tenant.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- لا ينتهي عقد الإيجار بموت أحد المتعاقدين.
2- لورثة المستأجر طلب فسخ العقد خلال مدة معقولة إذا أثبتوا أن أعباء العقد قد أصبحت بسبب موت مورثهم أثقل من أن تتحملها مواردهم من التركة، أو أن العقد يتجاوز حدود حاجتهم، أو أنه أُبرم بناءً على اعتبارات تتعلق بشخص مورثهم.
3- للمؤجر طلب فسخ العقد إذا مات المستأجر وكان العقد قد أُبرم بناءً على اعتبارات تتعلق بشخصه.
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 441 explained in plain English
This article deals with the effect of death on a lease and contains three rules:
1- The rule: a lease does not end with the death of one of the contracting parties, whether the deceased is the lessor or the tenant.
2- The right of the tenant's heirs: the tenant's heirs may request termination of the contract within a reasonable time if they prove any of the following:
- That because of the death of the person they inherit from, the burdens of the contract have become too heavy for their resources from the estate.
- Or that the contract exceeds the limits of their need.
- Or that it was made on the basis of considerations personal to the person they inherit from.
Note that the burden of proof is on the heirs, and that the text does not set the reasonable time as a number of days.
3- The right of the lessor: the lessor may request termination of the contract if the tenant dies and the contract was made on the basis of considerations personal to that tenant.
This article connects to Article 440, which regulates the end of the contract on expiry of its term and its renewal, and to Article 442, which allows either contracting party to request termination for a supervening excuse relating to that party, while remaining bound to pay compensation.
Because assessing these cases depends on the estate and the facts of the contract, heirs or lessors should consider consulting a lawyer specializing in real estate or civil matters.
Practical example
Ibrahim died. He had been renting a large apartment in Dammam under a three-year contract with two years remaining. His wife and only son inherited, and the apartment now exceeds their need. They may request termination of the contract within a reasonable time if they prove that the contract exceeds the limits of their need, or that its burdens are too heavy for their resources from the estate.
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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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 441 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
Does a lease end on the death of the tenant or the owner?
No. A lease does not end with the death of one of the contracting parties.
When may a tenant's heirs terminate the lease?
Within a reasonable time, if they prove that the burdens of the contract have become too heavy for their resources from the estate, that the contract exceeds their need, or that it was made on the basis of considerations personal to the person they inherit from.
Can the owner terminate the contract if the tenant dies?
The owner may request termination if the contract was made on the basis of considerations personal to the tenant.
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.