Article 651 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 651 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الثاني: أسباب كسب الملكية أولًا: إحراز المباحات
The article gives a landowner the choice between removing a building or planting that someone else knowingly made on his land without permission, or keeping it for a payment, and allows the maker to remove it if that does not harm the land.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- إذا أحدث شخص بناءً أو غراسًا بمواد من عنده على أرض يعلم أنها مملوكة لغيره دون إذن مالكها؛ فللمالك أن يطلب إزالة المحدثات على نفقة من أحدثها مع التعويض إن كان له مقتضٍ، أو يستبقيها بدفع قيمتها مستحقة الإزالة أو بدفع مبلغٍ يساوي ما زاد في قيمة الأرض بسبب البناء أو الغراس.
2- للمحدث أن يطلب إزالة ما أحدثه من بناءٍ أو غراسٍ إذا كان ذلك لا يُلحق ضررًا بالأرض ولو لم يرض مالكها.
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 651 explained in plain English
This article deals with the case of a person who makes a building or planting with his own materials on land that he knows belongs to someone else, and without the owner's permission. These three conditions together define the scope of the article.
Paragraph 1: The landowner's options
- Requesting removal: The owner may request removal of what was made at the expense of the person who made it, with compensation if there are grounds for it.
- Keeping it: Or he may keep the building or planting in return for one of two things:
- paying its value as something due to be removed, that is, its value as something that is going to be removed.
- or paying an amount equal to the increase in the value of the land caused by the building or planting.
Paragraph 2: The maker's right to remove
The person who made the building or planting may request its removal even if the landowner does not agree, provided that removal does not cause harm to the land.
This case differs from Article 652, which deals with someone who builds or plants in good faith on another's land, and from Article 650, which deals with a landowner who uses another's materials.
Anyone whose land has been built on or planted by someone else without permission is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in real estate matters to choose the option that suits them.
Practical example
A person in Riyadh built an annex on neighboring land, knowing it belonged to Ali and without his permission. Ali may request removal of the annex at the expense of the person who built it, with compensation if there are grounds for it, or he may keep it and pay its value as something due to be removed, or the increase in the value of his land because of it. The builder may request its removal even if Ali does not agree, if removal does not harm the land.
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 651 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
Someone built on my land knowing it was mine, without my permission. What are my rights?
You may request removal of the building at his expense, with compensation if there are grounds for it, or keep it by paying its value as something due to be removed or the increase in the value of the land because of it.
Can someone who built on another's land remove his building without the owner's consent?
Yes, if removal does not cause harm to the land, even if the owner does not agree.
Who bears the cost of removing the encroaching building?
If the owner chooses removal, it is at the expense of the person who made the building or planting.
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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.