Article 14 of the Saudi Expropriation of Real Estate for Public Interest Law
المادة 14 من نظام نزع ملكية العقارات للمصلحة العامة · الباب الثالث: الحصر والتقييم
Valuing the properties to be expropriated and alternative properties and determining fair rental is assigned to three accredited valuers whom the project owner contracts and whose fees it pays.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يُسند تقييم العقارات المقرر نزع ملكيتها، والعقارات البديلة -في حال التعويض العيني-، وتحديد أجرة المثل وفقاً للنظام؛ إلى ثلاثة مقيمين معتمدين.
2- تتولى الجهة صاحبة المشروع التعاقد مع المقيمين المشار إليهم في الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة ودفع أتعابهم.
3- يتولى كل مقيم معتمد -بشكل مستقل- الوقوف على العقار وإجراء التقييم استناداً إلى معايير وأدلة التقييم؛ على أن يعد تقريراً بذلك.
4- على الجهة صاحبة المشروع تزويد المقيمين بجميع المعلومات التي تمكنهم من إنجاز المهمات المسندة إليهم.
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 14 explained in plain English
This Article sets out how a property is valued to assess compensation:
- Three accredited valuers: they are assigned to value the properties to be expropriated, the alternative properties if the compensation is in kind, and to determine the fair rental.
- Contracting and fees: the project owner contracts with the valuers and pays their fees; the owner does not bear their cost.
- Independence: each valuer inspects the property and carries out the valuation independently of the others, based on the valuation standards and guides, and prepares a report on it.
- Information: the project owner must provide the valuers with all the information they need.
The accredited valuer, according to Article 1, is the person licensed to practice the valuation profession, and the valuation standards and guides are those approved by the Saudi Authority for Accredited Valuers.
The multiplicity of valuers and their independence aim at reaching an assessment closer to fairness. This stage comes after surveying the contents under Article 13, and is followed by the review of the reports in the Authority under Article 15.
Practical example
A commercial shop owned by Fahd in Jeddah is expropriated. The project owner contracted three accredited valuers and paid their fees, and each of them visited the shop separately and prepared his independent report, without Fahd bearing any valuation cost.
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 14 of the Saudi Expropriation of Real Estate for Public Interest Law
How many valuers value a property in expropriation?
Three accredited valuers, each valuing the property independently and preparing a report.
Do I pay the valuers' fees?
No. The project owner is the one who contracts with the valuers and pays their fees.
On what basis does a valuer value the property?
Based on the valuation standards and guides approved by the Saudi Authority for Accredited Valuers, after inspecting the property.
More articles on Inventory and Valuation of the Property
- Article 13
The Article regulates entering the property within the project plan to survey its immovable contents with the owners or an alternative committee, preparing the report and referring it to the Authority within 60 days.
1- تتولى الجهة صاحبة المشروع أو الجهة المشرفة -بحسب الأحوال- دخول العقار الواقع ضمن مخطط المشروع بمشاركة مالكي العقارات المقرر نزع ملكيتها أو من يمثلهم أو شاغلي
- Article 15
A committee of three accredited valuers in the Authority reviews the valuation reports and recommends the average price, which the Governor approves and which is notified to owners within 90 days of referral of the survey report.
1- تراجع التقارير -المعدة وفقاً للفقرة (3) من المادة (الرابعة عشرة) من النظام- لجنة تُشكل في الهيئة، تُكوَّن من ثلاثة مقيمين معتمدين، على أن يُراعى ألا يقل تصني
- Article 20
The date of publication of the decision to begin in the Official Gazette is relied on for surveying the property's contents, excluding what is added after it, and the date of the valuer's first visit is the basis for valuing it.
1- يعد تاريخ نشر قرار البدء في إجراءات نزع الملكية في الجريدة الرسمية أساساً لحصر مشتملات العقار المقرر نزع ملكيته، ولا يعتد بما يتم بعد ذلك على العقار من تعديل
- Article 21
If the property's area in the ownership documents differs from its actual area, compensation is assessed on the smaller area, preserving the owner's right to prove ownership of the part not counted.
إذا اختلفت مساحة العقار المحددة في مستندات إثبات الملكية عن المساحة الفعلية للعقار بحسب وضعه على الطبيعة، يقدَّر التعويض بحسب المساحة الأقل، وذلك دون إخلال بحقو
- Article 22
The Article explains how compensation is assessed if part of a property is expropriated, according to whether the remainder can be used, and when the whole property is expropriated.
إذا اقتصر نزع الملكية على جزء من العقار فيُتبع في ذلك ما يلي: 1- تُقدر قيمة مساحة الجزء المنزوعة ملكيته والبناء والغراس المقام عليه؛ إذا كان الجزء الباقي من الأ
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.