Eviction Procedure
Synonyms: Eviction Process، Tenant Removal، Forced Vacancy، Possession Order
Last updated: 2026-05-07
Short Definition
Legal steps landlord follows to evict tenant, including notice and litigation through Ejar, forceful eviction without ruling not allowed.
Overview
Legal Basis
Eviction procedures are based on Unified Rental Law and its executive regulations from Ministry of Housing, Rental Dispute Resolution Law, Enforcement Law issued by Royal Decree No. (M/53) of 1433 AH. Specialized judicial rental committee considers eviction lawsuits per fast procedures (60-day average). Enforcement courts execute judgments with security agencies' assistance. Najiz platform provides full electronic portal for filing lawsuits and following up. Violating eviction procedures (forceful self-eviction) legal crime exposing landlord to penalties.
Practical Example
Owner Nasser owns apartment in Riyadh rented to tenant named Mazen at SAR 36,000 annually. Mazen delayed payment for 4 consecutive months after job loss, refused communication with landlord. Eviction procedure sequence: (1) June 1: Nasser sent first late notice via Ejar. No response. (2) June 15: second notice with escalation warning. (3) July 1: final notice to vacate within 30 days. (4) August 5: Nasser filed eviction lawsuit before judicial rental committee via Najiz, with complete documents (contract, notices, arrears proof SAR 12,000). (5) August 20: hearing session, Nasser attended, Mazen absent. (6) September 5: committee issued judgment for Nasser: vacate property within 30 days, pay SAR 12,000 arrears + committee fees. (7) October 5: Mazen didn't vacate, Nasser requested forced execution. (8) October 15: enforcement court executed judgment, Mazen evicted with police assistance, apartment returned to Nasser. Procedure took 4.5 months (matching average), cost Nasser SAR 5,000 (lawyer fees and committee fees), recovered property with full documentation of every stage.
Common Mistakes
- ✗Attempting forceful self-eviction without judicial judgment — crime exposing landlord to criminal and financial penalties.
- ✗Failing graduated notices before escalation — judicial committee rejects lawsuit without documented notices.
- ✗Filing eviction lawsuit without strong documented reasons — may be rejected, landlord loses fees and time.
- ✗Assuming speed in forced eviction — takes 4-6 months average, time planning important.
- ✗Not treating tenant in good faith in genuine difficult circumstances — may affect committee judgment.
International Differences
Eviction procedures differ between countries. In the UAE, Eviction Process via RDC (Rental Disputes Center), 60-90 days average. In Turkey, Tahliye Davası takes 6-12 months. In Egypt, slow system may take years. In the UK, Section 8/21 Eviction complex and takes 6-12 months. In the US, Eviction relatively fast (1-3 months) but legally difficult with strong tenant protection. The Saudi advantage in eviction procedures is reasonable speed (4-6 months), full electronic integration (Ejar + Najiz + Enforcement), balanced protection (landlord gets his right, tenant gets fair chances), and transparency at every step. These factors made Saudi rental environment stable, encourages real estate investment and protects everyone's rights.