Article 31 of the Saudi Expropriation of Real Estate for Public Interest Law
المادة 31 من نظام نزع ملكية العقارات للمصلحة العامة · الباب السادس: أحكام ختامية
Owners of properties to be expropriated or occupied keep the right to dispose of them, the buyer takes the seller's place in rights and obligations, and the seller must notify him.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- لا تخل أحكام النظام بحق مالكي العقارات المقرر نزع ملكيتها أو وضع اليد المؤقت عليها؛ في التصرف بهذه العقارات.
2- يحل المشتري محل البائع في جميع ما يتصل بالحقوق والالتزامات المرتبطة بنزع ملكية العقارات أو وضع اليد المؤقت عليها المشار إليها في الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة، ويلتزم البائع بإبلاغ المشتري بما اتخذ في شأن هذه العقارات.
3- تحدد اللائحة القواعد المتصلة بإعمال الأحكام الواردة في هذه المادة.
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 31 explained in plain English
This Article answers a recurring question: can I sell my property after it is covered by expropriation or temporary occupation?
1. The right of disposal remains: the Law's provisions do not prejudice the right of the owners of properties to be expropriated or temporarily occupied to dispose of these properties. The mere issuance of the decision does not prevent the owner from disposing of his property.
2. The buyer takes the seller's place: if the owner sells the property, the buyer takes his place in all the rights and obligations connected with the expropriation or temporary occupation. The buyer becomes the holder of the right to compensation, and bears the obligations arising from the procedures.
3. Duty to notify: the seller must notify the buyer of the procedures that have been taken concerning the property. This protects the buyer from buying a property without knowing that it falls within a project.
4. The Regulations: they set the rules related to the application of these provisions.
The Article speaks of the right of "disposal" generally and does not detail the types of dispositions, leaving that to the rules the Regulations set. It comes after Article 30, which preserves the right of harmed non-owners to claim compensation.
Anyone wishing to buy or sell a property covered by a project would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in real estate cases to draft the contract in a way that makes clear the procedures that have been taken.
Practical example
The decision to begin expropriating land owned by Bandar in Riyadh was issued, and he then sold it to Faisal before the compensation was paid. Faisal takes Bandar's place in the right to compensation and in the obligations connected with the procedures, and Bandar must notify Faisal of everything that has been done concerning the land.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentCommercial & Corporate Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Commercial & Corporate Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Ibrahim Al Salem Law Firm
Active contributor
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Frequently asked questions about Article 31 of the Saudi Expropriation of Real Estate for Public Interest Law
May I sell a property for which an expropriation decision has been issued?
Yes. The Law's provisions do not prejudice the right of owners to dispose of their properties that are to be expropriated or temporarily occupied.
Who is entitled to the compensation if the property is sold?
The buyer takes the seller's place in all the rights and obligations connected with the expropriation or temporary occupation.
Must the seller tell the buyer about the expropriation?
Yes. The seller must notify the buyer of the procedures that have been taken concerning the property.
More articles on Rights of Owners of Expropriated Property
- Article 30
The Law's provisions do not prejudice the right of a person harmed other than an owner to claim compensation for any damage caused to him by the expropriation or temporary occupation procedures.
لا تخل أحكام النظام بحق المتضرر من غير مالكي العقارات المقرر نزع ملكيتها أو وضع اليد المؤقت عليها؛ في المطالبة بالتعويض عن أي ضرر يلحق به بسبب إجراء من إجراءات
- Article 32
If the need for the expropriated property ends during or after the procedures, the Authority is notified, and the owner may ask to recover it within a year of notification on condition of returning the compensation.
1- إذا انتفت الحاجة إلى نزع ملكية العقار أثناء السير في إجراءات نزع الملكية أو بعد استكمالها، فعلى الجهة صاحبة المشروع أو الجهة المشرفة -بحسب الأحوال- أن تُبلِغ
- Article 35
A person with an interest in the property, or a relative by blood or marriage of an owner, or his legal representative, may not take part in the expropriation procedures, and participants must keep matters confidential.
1- لا يجوز أن يشترك في أي إجراء من إجراءات نزع ملكية عقار أو وضع اليد المؤقت على عقار، من كان له في ذلك العقار مصلحة أو علاقة مباشرة أو غير مباشرة، أو كان بينه
- Article 36
Anyone about whose property a decision has been issued under the Law and the Regulations may object to it in accordance with the relevant statutory procedures.
لمن صدر بشأن عقاره قرار -بناءً على النظام واللائحة- التقدم بالاعتراض عليه وفقاً للإجراءات النظامية ذات العلاقة.
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.