Can a landlord cut off electricity or water to a tenant who is late on rent?

The law, issued by Royal Decree M/191 dated 29/11/1444H, requires the lessor to let the tenant use the property without obstruction until the lease ends (Article 416) and to refrain from interfering with that use throughout the term, or he is liable; interference by any of his agents counts as his own (Article 423).

If the interference deprives the tenant of the use of the property in whole or in part, the tenant may ask for termination or a rent reduction, without prejudice to his right to compensation. The withholding that the law’s lease provisions give the lessor concerns handover: he may refuse to hand over the property until the advance rent is paid (Article 417). These rules apply across the Kingdom.

Under the unified residential lease, the tenant pays the unit’s electricity, water and gas bills while the lease runs, or pays the lessor a fixed periodic amount for them, as the two agree. Where a meter is shared by several units, Ejar says the parties agree on an amount paid periodically.

Ejar offers a free service called “financial liability transfer” that moves the electricity and water meters into the name of the tenant as the actual user; the request needs the approval of the lease parties. Unlinking a meter and returning it to the lessor while the lease is running is done through a request on Ejar that is sent to the parties for approval.

A unified lease documented on Ejar is an executive instrument, so the lessor files an execution request at the Execution Court through Najiz: a monetary request to collect arrears, or a direct request to evict. The unified lease template published on Ejar’s website lists, among the rights handled by the Execution Court, due rent instalments including the agreed periodic electricity and water charges.

The current Execution Law (Royal Decree M/53) applies until 27 October 2026; the Execution Law issued by Royal Decree M/237 dated 3/11/1447H replaces it from 28 October 2026.

Under the unified lease, if one party breaches an obligation and does not remove the harm within 30 days of the breach, after a notice sent through Ejar, the harmed party may terminate the lease by a judgment of the competent court. Claims for termination, rent reduction and compensation go to the General Court through Najiz, or to the Saudi Real Estate Arbitration Center if both parties have agreed to arbitration.