Article 15 of the Saudi Real Estate Unit Ownership, Division and Management Law
المادة 15 من نظام ملكية الوحدات العقارية وفرزها وإدارتها · الفصل الرابع: جمعية الملاك
The article provides that owning a divided unit in a shared property that has an owners' association is acceptance of its articles of association and a commitment to the general assembly's decisions, without prejudice to Article 6.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
دون إخلال بحكم المادة (السادسة) من النظام، يعد امتلاك وحدة عقارية مفرزة في عقار مشترك - مؤسس له جمعية ملاك - قبولاً من المالك بالنظام الأساسي، والتزاماً منه بالقرارات التي تصدرها الجمعية العامة.
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 15 explained in plain English
This article answers a common question: is an owner bound by the owners' association's decisions even if he did not sign them?
The article provides that owning a divided unit in a shared property for which an owners' association has been formed is in itself:
- Acceptance by the owner of the association's articles of association.
- A commitment by him to the decisions the general assembly issues.
No special signature by the owner on the articles of association is needed, and the owner cannot argue that he did not personally agree to them; mere ownership suffices. This includes a person who buys a unit after the association was formed.
The article begins with the phrase "without prejudice to the provision of Article (6) of the Law", meaning this commitment does not affect what Article 6 provides; the reader would do well to refer to its text to know its provision.
This article is consistent with its neighbors: Article 14 makes the association the representative of the owners in dispositions arising on the common parts, and Article 16 prevents the association from limiting or restricting the owner's rights to dispose of his unit or use it or the common parts within their purposes and without harming the other owners. Commitment to the association's decisions therefore does not mean the association has absolute authority over the owner's unit.
A person who believes a particular decision exceeded the association's powers would do well to consult a lawyer specialized in real estate matters.
Practical example
Hind bought an apartment in a building in Dammam that has a registered owners' association and articles of association that set an annual maintenance contribution. Hind may not refuse the contribution on the ground that she did not sign the articles of association; her ownership of the apartment is acceptance of them and a commitment to the general assembly's decisions.
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 15 of the Saudi Real Estate Unit Ownership, Division and Management Law
Am I bound by the owners' association's decisions if I did not sign its articles?
Yes. Owning a unit in a shared property for which an owners' association has been formed is acceptance of the articles of association and a commitment to the general assembly's decisions.
Is a new buyer bound by the association's articles of association?
The text ties the commitment to owning a unit in a property for which an association has been formed, so it covers everyone who owns a unit in it.
Can the association prevent me from selling my apartment?
Article 16 provides that the owners' association may not limit or restrict the owner's rights to dispose of or use his unit, without harming the other owners.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Owners' Association
- Article 1
The article defines the Law's basic terms, such as division, the divided real estate unit, common parts, the shared property, the real estate complex, the owners' association, the manager and maintenance.
يقصد بالكلمات والعبارات الآتية - أينما وردت في هذا النظام - المعاني المبينة أمام كل منها، ما لم يقتض السياق غير ذلك: النظام: نظام ملكية الوحدات العقارية وفرزها
- Article 3
The article allows re-dividing the shared property or changing its use with the approval of the general assembly and any mortgagee, with the plan amended, and sets owners' shares in what results from the change.
1- يجوز إعادة فرز العقار المشترك أو جزء منه أو تغيير استعمالاته؛ بعد موافقة الجمعية العامة، وموافقة المرتهن إن وجد. ولا يخل ذلك بحق المتضرر في اللجوء إلى المحكم
- Article 12
The article requires owners of shared property, when there are 3 or more, to form an owners' association and register it with the Authority, gives it legal personality and a separate financial liability, and requires articles of association.
1- إذا بلغ عدد ملاك الوحدات العقارية المفرزة في عقار مشترك ثلاثة فأكثر؛ فعليهم أن يؤسسوا جمعية بينهم لإدارة شؤون ذلك العقار، وتسجيل تلك الجمعية لدى الهيئة، وإذا
- Article 13
The article allows owners of shared properties within a real estate complex to form a "complex association" with independent legal personality, made up of representatives of the owners' associations, to which the owners' association provisions apply as consistent with its nature.
1- للملاك في العقارات المشتركة التي تقع ضمن مجمع عقاري إنشاء جمعية ذات شخصية معنوية مستقلة تسمى (جمعية المجمع)، تضم ممثلاً أو أكثر عن جمعية الملاك في كل عقار مش
- Article 14
The article provides that the owners' association represents the owners in dispositions arising on the common parts.
تعد جمعية الملاك ممثلةً للملاك فيما يتعلق بالتصرفات التي تنشأ على الأجزاء المشتركة.
- Article 16
The article bars the owners' association from limiting or restricting the owner's rights to dispose of his unit or use it or the common parts within their purposes and without harming the other owners.
ليس لجمعية الملاك أن تحد أو أن تقيد من حقوق المالك في التصرف بوحدته العقارية المفرزة، أو في الانتفاع بها، أو بالأجزاء المشتركة في حدود الأغراض التي أعدت من أجله
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.