Article 459 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 459 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الثالث: انتهاء عقد الإعارة
The article provides that a loan for use ends on the death of the lender or the borrower and does not pass to the heirs, unless otherwise agreed.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
ينتهي عقد الإعارة بموت المعير أو المستعير، ولا ينتقل إلى الورثة، 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 459 explained in plain English
This article shows the effect of death on a loan for use, and sets two rules:
- The contract ends on the death of either party: whether the lender or the borrower dies.
- The contract does not pass to the heirs: the borrower's heirs do not inherit the right to use, and the lender's heirs are not bound to continue the loan.
This rule can be varied by agreement; the article says so with "unless otherwise agreed". For example, the parties may agree that the loan continues after the death of one of them.
This article is in the rules on the end of a loan for use, and it is followed by Article 460, which adds other grounds for ending it: the expiry of the agreed term or the exhaustion of the use for which the thing was lent.
The text does not detail the practical steps that follow a death, such as how the thing is returned. If the matter becomes entangled with estate procedures, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in civil matters or personal status, depending on the nature of the dispute.
Practical example
Sulaiman lent his neighbor vacant land to use as a car park for one year, and the neighbor died after four months. Under the article, the loan ends on the death of the borrower and the right of use does not pass to his heirs, unless Sulaiman and his neighbor had agreed 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 459 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
Does a loan for use end on the death of the lender?
Yes. A contract of loan for use ends on the death of the lender or the borrower, unless otherwise agreed.
Do the borrower's heirs inherit the right to use the thing lent?
No. A contract of loan for use does not pass to the heirs, unless otherwise agreed.
May the parties agree that the loan continues after a death?
Yes. The article 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.