Article 624 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 624 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الأول: أحكام عامة لحق الملكية أولًا: نطاق الحق
Every co-owner in undivided shares may take measures to preserve the jointly owned property even without the consent of the other co-owners.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لكل شريك على الشيوع الحق في أن يتخذ من الوسائل ما يحفظ المال الشائع ولو كان ذلك دون موافقة باقي الشركاء.
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 624 explained in plain English
This article gives every co-owner in undivided shares, whatever his share, an independent right to preserve the jointly owned property.
Every co-owner may take whatever measures preserve the jointly owned property, even without the consent of the other co-owners. This right does not depend on the co-owners meeting or consenting.
The reason is that acts of preservation protect the property in everyone's interest, and may not be able to wait until the co-owners meet or a majority is formed.
Note that this right is limited to measures of preservation, that is, what protects the property from loss or damage. It does not extend, on the wording of this article, to ordinary management acts or fundamental changes; fundamental changes, for example, have their own rule in Article 623.
As for who bears the expenses of this preservation, that is dealt with by Article 625, which places the expenses of preserving jointly owned property on all the co-owners, each in proportion to his share unless otherwise agreed. To know what falls within acts of preservation in a particular case, you can consult a lawyer who specializes in real estate cases.
Practical example
Noura co-owns an inherited house in Tabuk with her siblings, and noticed a water leak in the roof threatening the building while her siblings are away traveling. She may take what preserves the house from this damage without waiting for their consent, and the expenses of preservation are borne by all in proportion to their shares under Article 625 unless they agree 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 624 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
Can I protect the shared property without the co-owners' consent?
Yes. Every co-owner in undivided shares may take whatever measures preserve the jointly owned property even without the consent of the other co-owners.
Who pays the costs of preserving jointly owned property?
Under Article 625, all the co-owners bear them, each in proportion to his share, unless otherwise agreed.
More articles on Ownership, Co-Ownership and Partition
- Article 22
The article defines an immovable as a thing fixed in its place that cannot be moved without damage or change in its form, everything else being movable, and treats a movable that its owner assigns to the service or exploitation of his immovable as an immovable by destination.
1- العقار كلُّ شيءٍ ثابتٍ في حيزه لا يمكن نقله منه دون تلفٍ أو تغيُّرٍ في هيئته، وما عدا ذلك فهو منقول. 2- يعدُّ عقارًا بالتخصيص المنقولُ الذي يضعه مالكه في عقا
- Article 26
The article divides the real right into principal rights, such as ownership, usufruct, use, habitation, easement and waqf, and accessory rights, such as mortgage and privilege, together with what the legal provisions so consider.
1- يكون الحقُّ العينيُّ أصليًّا أو تبعيًّا. 2- الحقوق العينية الأصلية هي حق الملكية، وحق الانتفاع، وحق الاستعمال، وحق السكنى، وحق الارتفاق، وحق الوقف، وما يعد ك
- Article 112
The article provides that termination of a contract cannot be asserted against the contracting party's specific successor if he acquired a real right in good faith.
لا يحتج بفسخ العقد تجاه الخلف الخاص للمتعاقد إذا كسب حقًّا عينيًّا بحسن نية.
- Article 131
A building's keeper is liable to compensate for damage caused by the collapse of all or part of the building, unless he proves that it was not due to neglect of maintenance, age of the building or a defect in it.
يكون حارس البناء مسؤولًا عن تعويض الضرر الذي يحدثه تهدّم البناء كله أو بعضه؛ ما لم يثبت أن الضرر لا يرجع سببه إلى إهمال في الصيانة أو قدم في البناء أو عيب فيه.
- Article 133
Anyone threatened with damage from a particular thing may demand that its keeper take measures to avert the danger; if he does not, the threatened person may carry them out with court permission at the owner's expense, or without it in urgency.
لكل من كان مهدَّدًا بضررٍ من شيءٍ معيَّنٍ أن يطالب حارسه باتخاذ ما يلزم من التدابير لدرء خطره، فإذا لم يقم باتخاذ هذه التدابير في وقت مناسب فلمن يهدده الخطر أن
- Article 371
The article allows a partner to give his share in jointly owned property to his partner or to someone else, whether the property is real estate or movable, even if it is divisible.
تصح هبة الشريك حصته في المال الشائع لشريكه أو لغيره عقارًا كان أو منقولًا، ولو كان الموهوب قابلًا للقسمة.
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.