Article 448 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 448 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الخامس: إيجار الأرض للزراعة
If the term of a lease of land for farming ends before the crop is harvested for a reason beyond the tenant's control, the tenant may keep the crop there at the fair rent until it is harvested, unless otherwise agreed.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا انقضت مدة إيجار الأرض للزراعة قبل أن يبلغ الزرع حصاده لسبب لا يد للمستأجر فيه، فله أن يُبقيه بأجرة المثل حتى يتم حصاده، 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 448 explained in plain English
This article protects a farm tenant from losing the crop if the contract term ends before the crop ripens.
The rule: the tenant may keep the crop on the land until it is harvested, in return for the fair rent for the additional period, which is the rent normally paid for such land.
The conditions:
- The lease term must expire before the crop reaches harvest.
- This must be for a reason beyond the tenant's control. If the delay is caused by the tenant, this rule does not apply.
- There must be no agreement to the contrary; if the parties agree on a different rule, it applies.
The rule balances the tenant's interest in not losing the crop against the owner's interest in a fair payment for the additional period.
This article connects to Article 447, which allows the tenant to plant the land in all seasons of the year if the kind and type of crop were not agreed, and to Article 449, which divides repairs and maintenance of farmland between the lessor and the tenant.
To assess the fair rent or the cause of a delay in a particular case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in real estate or civil matters.
Practical example
Abdulrahman leased land in Tabuk to grow wheat, with the contract ending at the end of a certain month. Because of an unusual cold wave, the wheat ripened later than expected, and the term ended before harvest. Abdulrahman may keep the crop until he harvests it, paying the owner the fair rent for the additional period, unless the contract says 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 448 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
What happens if a farm lease ends before the harvest?
If this is for a reason beyond the tenant's control, the tenant may keep the crop at the fair rent until it is harvested, unless otherwise agreed.
Does the tenant pay rent for the additional period?
Yes. The crop stays at the fair rent until it is harvested.
Can the contract agree on a different rule?
Yes. The text makes the rule apply unless the parties agree otherwise.
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.