Article 456 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 456 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الثاني: آثار عقد الإعارة
The article puts the expenses of the thing lent, its ordinary maintenance and the cost of returning it on the borrower, unless the parties agree otherwise.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تكون نفقات الشيء المعار وصيانته المعتادة ونفقات رده على المستعير، وذلك كله 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 456 explained in plain English
This article answers a practical question: who bears the costs of the thing lent? It puts three kinds of expenses on the borrower:
- The expenses of the thing lent: what the thing needs during the period the borrower uses it.
- The expenses of its ordinary maintenance: the text limits this to "ordinary" maintenance, so it does not address maintenance that is not ordinary.
- The expenses of returning it: such as the cost of transporting the thing and bringing it back to the lender.
The logic is that the borrower is the one who benefits from the thing, so it is fitting that the borrower bear what this ordinary use requires. But this rule is not mandatory; the article states that all of this applies "unless otherwise agreed", so the parties may agree, for example, that the lender bears some of these expenses.
This article comes after Article 455, which requires the borrower to look after the thing with care not less than that of an ordinary person, and before Article 457, which regulates the limits of use. Because the text does not set the rule for expenses that are not ordinary, determining who bears them in a particular case calls for consulting a lawyer specializing in civil matters.
Practical example
Sultan borrowed his brother's car for a month to commute to his new job in Dammam, and they agreed nothing about expenses. Under the article, Sultan bears the car's expenses and its ordinary maintenance during this period, such as a regular oil change, and also the cost of returning it to his brother. Had they agreed in advance that the brother would bear maintenance, their agreement would apply.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentA question about Article 456 of Civil Transactions Law?
Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.
- Completely free
- Lawyers from the directory answer
- Your name stays hidden
Civil Litigation & Compensation lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Civil Litigation & Compensation lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Active contributor
Unwan Law Firm
Frequently asked questions about Article 456 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
Who pays for maintenance of a borrowed item?
The borrower bears the expenses of ordinary maintenance of the thing lent, unless otherwise agreed.
Who pays the cost of returning a borrowed item?
The cost of returning it is on the borrower, unless the parties agree otherwise.
Can the parties agree that the lender bears the expenses?
Yes. The article makes the borrower bear the expenses 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.