The Ministry of Housing held at its headquarters in Riyadh a workshop to discuss the draft property rental law, with participation from specialists and interested parties, including academics, real estate professionals, and legal experts.
General Supervisor of Rental Sector Regulation at the Ministry of Housing, Engineer Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Bati, highlighted in a press statement today the importance of the workshop and the necessity for participants to present their opinions, suggestions, and observations on the draft property rental law. He affirmed the Ministry’s commitment to establishing appropriate regulations for this sector and setting controls that would protect the rights of all related parties.

He explained that the rental market in the Kingdom holds utmost importance, prompting attention and work toward organizing it optimally to ensure protection and benefit for tenants, lessors, and real estate brokers. This falls within the framework of one of the Ministry’s strategic objectives: improving the performance of the real estate sector and increasing its contribution to GDP. He emphasized that the Ministry’s efforts to launch the "Ejar" program reflect its interest in organizing the sector, which represents nearly half of the Kingdom’s housing market. The program is part of a series of initiatives and projects introduced by the Ministry to support supply, enable demand, and organize and facilitate a balanced and sustainable housing environment.

The General Supervisor of Rental Sector Regulation reviewed with workshop participants several key topics related to the property rental law in the Kingdom. These included the objectives of the law, its scope of application, prominent challenges and obstacles it faces, mechanisms followed in housing rentals, identifying those with rights to rent, as well as methods for extending and amending contracts. He also highlighted the benefits of the unified rental contract, which is expected to be launched during the first quarter of 2017, noting that it will provide numerous advantages for tenants, lessors, and real estate brokers. Additionally, it aims to reduce potential disputes between contracting parties, as it will serve as a binding executive instrument.