Article 18 of the Saudi State Leasing of Real Estate Law
المادة 18 من نظام استئجار الدولة للعقار
The lessor loses the right to request compensation if he repairs, modifies or changes the property after vacating and before a committee under Article 17 surveys the damage and assesses its value.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا قام المؤجر بترميم أو تعديل أو تغيير في العقار بعد إخلائه وقبل قيام أي من اللجنتين المشار إليهما في المادة (السابعة عشرة) من النظام -بحسب الأحوال- بحصر الأضرار وتقدير قيمتها؛ فليس للمؤجر حق طلب التعويض.
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 18 explained in plain English
This article warns the lessor of a common mistake that may cost him his full right to compensation.
The rule: if the lessor carries out repair, modification or change to the property, and this is:
- after the property is vacated,
- and before either of the two committees referred to in Article 17, as the case may be, surveys the damage and assesses its value,
then the lessor has no right to request compensation.
The two committees under Article 17 are:
- A committee of three of the leasing agency's employees that surveys damage resulting from abnormal use and assesses compensation within a period not exceeding fifteen days of vacating.
- A committee of the leasing agency and the Authority, formed if the compensation exceeds 25% of the annual rent or SAR 100,000, whichever is less, and completing its work within a period not exceeding thirty days of vacating.
The reason is clear: if the property is repaired before inspection, it will not be possible to verify the damage and its extent. The practical step for the lessor is therefore to wait until the competent committee completes the survey and assessment before any works on the property.
After assessment come the procedures of Article 19, under which the agency notifies the lessor of the amount of compensation, and he may accept it or file a grievance against it.
If you have a practical question about leasing a property to a government agency, it is best to consult a lawyer who specializes in real estate or administrative cases.
Practical example
After a government agency vacated Khaled's building in Al-Ahsa, Khaled hurried the next day to fix the damaged walls and repaint them before the damage survey committee arrived. Under this article, Khaled no longer has the right to request compensation for that damage.
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 18 of the Saudi State Leasing of Real Estate Law
Do I lose my right to compensation if I repair the property after vacating?
Yes. If you repair, modify or change the property after it is vacated and before the competent committee surveys the damage and assesses its value, you have no right to request compensation.
When can I start repairing the property?
Under the article, the lessor keeps his right to compensation only if he does not repair, modify or change the property before the competent committee surveys the damage and assesses its value.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Compensating the Lessor for Damage
- Article 14
The article relieves the government body from compensating the lessor for damage from construction defects, ordinary use and agreed modifications made before the contract, and makes it compensate damage from unordinary use.
لا تكون الجهة الحكومية المستأجرة مسؤولة عن تعويض المؤجر عند إخلاء العقار عن الأضرار الناتجة عن عيب في الإنشاء أو عن الاستعمال العادي أو عن تكاليف التعديلات أو ا
- Article 15
The property is handed over after vacating by a report recording its condition and any damage from abnormal use, signed by the agency's representative and the lessor; an objecting lessor may write a reservation in it.
يكون تسليم العقار -بعد إخلائه- بموجب محضر تثبت فيه حالته وما أصابه من أضرار نتيجة الاستعمال غير العادي -إن وجدت- ويوقع المحضر ممثل الجهة الحكومية المستأجرة والم
- Article 17
A committee of the leasing agency surveys abnormal-use damage and assesses compensation within 15 days, and a joint committee with the Authority acts if compensation exceeds the set limit.
1- تُكون الجهة الحكومية المستأجرة لجنة من (ثلاثة) من موظفيها؛ لحصر الأضرار الناتجة عن الاستعمال غير العادي، وتقدير مقدار التعويض، وتحرير محضر مفصل بذلك، خلال مد
- Article 19
The agency must notify the lessor of the compensation amount within 15 days of its assessment; if he accepts, the agency head approves payment, and if he refuses, he may file a grievance with the agency.
تبلغ الجهة الحكومية المستأجرة المؤجر بمقدار التعويض -بخطاب على عنوانه المسجل في عقد الاستئجار الموحد أو بأي وسيلة أخرى تحددها اللائحة- خلال مدة لا تتجاوز (خمسة
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.