Article 35 of the Saudi Expropriation of Real Estate for Public Interest Law
المادة 35 من نظام نزع ملكية العقارات للمصلحة العامة · الباب السادس: أحكام ختامية
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 وبين أحد مالكي العقارات المقرر نزع ملكيتها أو وضع اليد المؤقت عليها صلة قرابة أو نسب، أو كان ممثلاً قانونياً لأحدهم. وتبين اللائحة الضوابط اللازمة لذلك.
2- دون إخلال بالأحكام النظامية ذات الصلة، يلتزم كل من يشترك في أي إجراء من إجراءات نزع الملكية أو وضع اليد المؤقت، بالمحافظة على سرية المعلومات والمستندات والبيانات التي اطلع عليها بسبب عمله.
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 35 explained in plain English
This Article sets out guarantees of integrity and impartiality in the expropriation and temporary occupation procedures.
First: Preventing conflict of interest
The following may not take part in any procedure of expropriating a property or temporarily occupying it:
- Anyone who has a direct or indirect interest or connection with that property.
- Anyone related to one of the property owners by blood or marriage.
- Anyone who is the legal representative of one of the owners.
The Regulations set the necessary controls for this.
Second: Confidentiality
Everyone who takes part in any procedure must maintain the confidentiality of the information, documents and data he learned of by reason of his work, without prejudice to the relevant statutory provisions.
These guarantees protect both sides: they prevent favoring an owner at the expense of the public interest, prevent harming an owner because of a quarrel or personal interest, and keep owners' data from leaking. The provision covers all the procedures, such as the survey, the valuation and the review of the reports.
Anyone who believes a participant in the procedures on his property falls under one of the cases of prohibition may consult a lawyer specializing in real estate cases.
Practical example
An employee of a project owner was assigned to take part in surveying the contents of properties in a neighborhood in Taif, and it turned out that one of the properties is owned by his cousin. Kinship is one of the grounds of prohibition in the Article, and the Regulations set the controls for it, so he must refer to them before taking part in any procedure concerning that property.
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 35 of the Saudi Expropriation of Real Estate for Public Interest Law
May a relative of the owner take part in the procedures for expropriating his property?
No. The Article prohibits anyone related to one of the owners by blood or marriage from taking part in any procedure, and the Regulations set the necessary controls.
Is owners' information confidential in expropriation?
Yes. Everyone who takes part in any procedure must maintain the confidentiality of the information, documents and data he learned of by reason of his work.
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 31
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.
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 بالحقو
- 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 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.