Article 30 of the Saudi Real Estate Unit Ownership, Division and Management Law
المادة 30 من نظام ملكية الوحدات العقارية وفرزها وإدارتها · الفصل الخامس: الإدارة والصيانة
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 قيمة العقار المشترك كله أو بعضه، وذلك على نفقة من يطلبه من الملاك وبما تضعه الجمعية من شروط وما تفرضه من تعويضات والتزامات أخرى لمصلحة الملاك.
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 30 explained in plain English
This article protects the external appearance of the shared property and the rights of all owners in it, in two paragraphs:
Paragraph 1: the external appearance. No change to the external appearance of the shared property may be made except after the general assembly's approval. An owner alone cannot change how the property looks from the outside without this approval.
Paragraph 2: work that increases the property's value. The general assembly's approval is required before any work that increases the value of the whole shared property or part of it, and the work is:
- At the expense of the owner who requests it.
- In accordance with the conditions the association sets.
- With the compensation and other obligations it imposes in the interest of the owners.
This means that an owner who wants work that raises the property's value may not carry it out without prior approval, and the general assembly may require him to provide compensation or other obligations for the benefit of the other owners.
This article falls within the chapter on management and maintenance and connects to Article 29, which requires the owners to repair a partly damaged property as the general assembly decides, and lets it decide what it sees fit if the property collapses, with the matter referred to the competent court in case of disagreement.
Anyone planning work of this kind, or objecting to a change someone else carried out, would do well to consult a lawyer who specializes in real estate disputes.
Practical example
Bandar, who owns an apartment on the top floor of a building in Riyadh, wants to change the facade of his apartment by adding a projecting external awning. He may not do so except after the general assembly's approval. If he wants work that increases the property's value, he must obtain approval in advance, bear the cost, and comply with the conditions and compensation the association sets for the benefit of the owners.
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 30 of the Saudi Real Estate Unit Ownership, Division and Management Law
May I change my apartment's facade without approval?
No. No change to the external appearance of the shared property may be made except after the general assembly's approval.
Who pays for work that increases the building's value?
It is at the expense of the owner who requests it, after the general assembly's approval and on the conditions it sets.
Can the general assembly impose compensation on the owner who requests the work?
Yes. When it approves the work, the association may impose compensation and other obligations for the benefit of the owners.
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 29
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.
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 الع
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.