Article 465 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 465 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الثاني: التزامات المقاول
The article requires the contractor to complete the work according to the contract terms and within the agreed period, failing which according to the recognized standards and within the reasonable time the nature of the work requires.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يلتزم المقاول بإنجاز العمل وفقًا لشروط العقد وفي المدة المتفق عليها، فإن لم تكن هناك شروطٌ أو لم يُتفق على مدةٍ التزم بإنجازه وفقًا للأصول المتعارف عليها وفي المدة المعقولة التي تقتضيها طبيعة العمل.
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 465 explained in plain English
This article sets the standard by which the contractor completes the work, as to method and as to time:
- If there are agreed terms and an agreed period: the contractor must complete the work according to the terms of the contract and within the agreed period.
- If there are no terms: the contractor must complete the work according to the recognized standards.
- If no period was agreed: the contractor must complete it within the reasonable time that the nature of the work requires.
The contract is thus the first reference, and where it is silent, professional custom and the nature of the work are used. This means the absence of a period in the contract does not give the contractor open-ended time; the contractor is bound to a reasonable period.
Article 466 follows to show what the client has if the contractor breaches the contract terms while the work is under way: the client may call on the contractor to comply and correct the work within a reasonable period the client sets, and if the contractor does not correct it, the client may entrust the work to another contractor at the first contractor's expense under Article 167, or request termination, and may request termination at once in the cases of delay or impossibility of correction that it mentions.
Assessing the "reasonable time" and the "recognized standards" varies with the kind of work, so in a dispute it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in civil matters or in contracting and real estate cases.
Practical example
Fahad contracted with a contractor to renovate the guest room of his house, and the contract set out the required work without fixing a period for completion. Here the contractor must complete the work according to the terms of the contract and within the reasonable time that the nature of renovation work requires, not at a time of the contractor's own choosing.
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 465 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
What period is the contractor bound to if the contract does not set one?
The contractor must complete the work within the reasonable time that the nature of the work requires.
What is the reference if a contracting contract has no terms for the work?
The contractor must complete the work according to the recognized standards.
Is the contractor bound by the period written in the contract?
Yes. The contractor must complete the work according to the terms of the contract and within the agreed period.
More articles on Contracting (Construction) Contract
- Article 167
The article regulates performance of an obligation to perform work: the creditor's right to refuse performance by anyone but the debtor, performance at the debtor's expense with or without court permission when urgent, and a judgment standing in for the work.
إذا كان الالتزام بعمل فتسري على تنفيذه الأحكام الآتية: أ- إذا نص الاتفاق أو اقتضت طبيعة العمل أن ينفذ المدين الالتزام بنفسه جاز للدائن أن يرفض الوفاء من غير الم
- Article 461
The article defines the contracting (muqawala) contract as one in which the contractor undertakes to make a thing or perform work for a fee, without being subordinate to or an agent of the client.
المقاولة عقدٌ يلتزم بمقتضاه المقاول بصنع شيءٍ أو أداء عملٍ مقابل أجر دون أن يكون تابعًا لصاحب العمل ولا نائبًا عنه.
- Article 462
The article allows the contractor to carry out the work with materials supplied by the contractor or with materials supplied by the client.
يصح أن يكون التزام المقاول بتنفيذ العمل بمواد من عنده أو من صاحب العمل.
- Article 463
The article sets the contractor's obligations on materials: if the contractor supplies them, they must meet the specifications or be fit for the purpose by custom; if the client supplies them, the contractor must safeguard them, observe technical rules and return what is left.
1- إذا اشترط صاحب العمل أن يقدم المقاول المواد كلها أو بعضها؛ كان المقاول مسؤولًا عن توفر الشروط والمواصفات المتفق عليها إن وجدت، وإلا التزم بأن تكون وافيةً بال
- Article 464
The article puts the expenses of the machines and tools needed to complete the work on the contractor, unless the parties agree otherwise.
يتحمَّل المقاول نفقات ما يستلزمه إنجاز العمل من آلات وأدوات، ما لم يتفق على خلاف ذلك.
- Article 466
If the contractor breaches the contract, the client may call on the contractor to correct the work and then give it to another contractor at the contractor's expense or request termination, and may request termination at once in specified cases.
1- إذا أخل المقاول بشروط العقد أثناء سير العمل فلصاحب العمل إعذاره بالالتزام بها وتصحيح العمل خلال مدة معقولة يعينها له، فإذا انقضت هذه المدة دون تصحيح فلصاحب ا
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.