Article 29 of the Saudi Real Estate Unit Ownership, Division and Management Law
المادة 29 من نظام ملكية الوحدات العقارية وفرزها وإدارتها · الفصل الخامس: الإدارة والصيانة
The article requires owners to repair a partly damaged shared property as the general assembly decides unless otherwise agreed, and lets the general assembly decide what to do if it collapses, with recourse to the court in case of disagreement.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- إذا تضرر العقار المشترك تضرراً جزئيًّا، فعلى الملاك إصلاحه بحسب ما تقرره الجمعية العامة، ما لم يتفق على غير ذلك.
2- إذا انهدم العقار المشترك تقرر الجمعية العامة ما تراه، وفي حال الاختلاف يرفع الأمر إلى المحكمة المختصة.
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 29 explained in plain English
This article deals with what happens if the shared property is damaged or collapses, for example from a fire, a flood or a structural defect. It distinguishes between two cases:
First case: partial damage. If the shared property is partly damaged, the owners must repair it, as the general assembly decides, unless otherwise agreed. Repair here is a duty, and the general assembly decides how it is done.
Second case: collapse. If the shared property collapses, the general assembly decides what it sees fit; the text does not specify a particular option. In case of disagreement, the matter is referred to the competent court.
Note the difference in wording: for partial damage the text obliges the owners to repair, while for collapse it leaves the matter to the general assembly's judgment.
This article connects to Article 28, which requires the owners association to manage the shared property according to standards set by the Implementing Regulations, and to Article 30, which bars any change to the external appearance of the shared property except after the general assembly's approval, and requires its approval before any work that increases the property's value, at the expense of whoever requests it and on the conditions it sets.
This article does not specify how repair costs are divided among the owners. Because these situations affect the rights of all owners, in a dispute it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in real estate disputes.
Practical example
A divided building in Tabuk was hit by a fire that damaged the staircase and the entrance. The owners must repair this partial damage as the general assembly decides, unless they have agreed otherwise. If the whole building collapsed, the general assembly would decide what it sees fit, and if the owners disagree, the matter is referred to the competent court.
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 29 of the Saudi Real Estate Unit Ownership, Division and Management Law
Who bears the cost of repairing the building if it is partly damaged?
The owners must repair it as the general assembly decides, unless otherwise agreed.
What happens if a divided building collapses?
The general assembly decides what it sees fit, and in case of disagreement the matter is referred to the competent court.
Does the text specify how a collapsed building is rebuilt?
No. The text leaves the matter to what the general assembly decides, with referral to the competent court in case of disagreement.
More articles on Maintaining Jointly Owned Property
- Article 24
The article sets the owners association's resources and how its money is spent, requires every owner to pay his contribution to management and maintenance costs, and bars him from giving up his share to avoid them.
1- تتكون موارد جمعية الملاك مما يأتي:أ- اشتراكات الملاك.ب- التبرعات والهبات والوصايا والأوقاف.ج- عوائد استثمار أموال جمعية الملاك والأجزاء المشتركة القابلة للاس
- Article 26
The article divides the costs of maintaining and managing the common parts among owners in proportion to the area of their units, allows this to vary by use, and lets an owner improve the common parts at his own expense with the association's approval.
1- يشترك كل مالك في تكاليف صيانة الأجزاء المشتركة وإدارتها؛ كلٌّ بقدر نسبة مساحة الجزء المفرز الذي يملكه إلى إجمالي مساحة الأجزاء المفرزة في العقار المشترك. ويج
- Article 27
The article requires the owner to maintain his unit even if he does not use it, to prevent harm to the property, and bars him from objecting to necessary work inside it for the property's safety, with the unit restored and no costs charged to him.
1- على المالك القيام بالصيانة اللازمة لوحدته العقارية المفرزة ولو لم يكن ينتفع بها، لمنع إلحاق ضرر بالعقار المشترك، ويلتزم بألاَّ يحدث في وحدته العقارية المفرزة
- Article 28
The article requires the owners association to manage the shared property according to standards set by the Implementing Regulations.
تلتزم جمعية الملاك بإدارة العقار المشترك، وفق معايير تحددها اللائحة.
- Article 30
The article bars any change to the shared property's external appearance without the general assembly's approval, and requires its approval before any work that increases its value, at the requester's expense and on the assembly's conditions and compensation.
1- لا يجوز إجراء أي تعديل في الشكل الخارجي للعقار المشترك إلا بعد موافقة الجمعية العامة. 2- يشترط موافقة الجمعية العامة قبل إجراء أي عمل يترتب عليه زيادة في قيم
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.