Who pays the Ejar lease documentation fee, the landlord or the tenant?
Short answer
The landlord bears the fee for documenting a lease on Ejar, and on the platform it can be paid only by the landlord or the real estate broker, not by the tenant. It is SAR 125 per contract year for a residential lease, and SAR 200 for the first year then SAR 400 for each additional year for a commercial lease. The broker’s commission is a separate matter, paid by whichever party hired the broker.
What Ejar says about the documentation fee
Ejar’s FAQ states that the lessor bears the cost of registering and documenting the lease, and that the fee can be paid by the lessor or the real estate broker. The fee is first deducted from the Ejar wallet, which is topped up by SADAD, mada or Apple Pay; both parties then approve the lease and it is documented.
- Residential lease: SAR 125 per contract year.
- Commercial lease: SAR 200 for the first year and SAR 400 for each additional year.
Renewal fees are also on the landlord
The lessor is also responsible for the automatic renewal fee. If the lessor’s wallet has a balance, the fee is deducted automatically when the lease enters its final 60 days; otherwise the lessor must top up the wallet.
According to Ejar, if the lessor does not pay the renewal fee, the lease still continues and renews automatically, and the fee is recorded as a debt on the lessor so the tenant is not affected. Where a brokerage office pays the platform fees, the debt is still recorded against the lessor.
Other costs that are not Ejar fees
The broker’s commission is different from the documentation fee. Under Article 14 of the Real Estate Brokerage Law, the commission on a lease is 2.5% of the first year’s rent unless agreed otherwise in writing, and it is paid by the party that contracted the broker. If the broker contracts with both parties, the total may not exceed that rate.
In the unified residential lease, the tenant pays the electricity, water and gas bills during the lease, or a fixed periodic amount to the lessor if so agreed, while the lessor covers any service charges that the authorities impose on the unit.
Follow-up questions
Does the tenant pay the Ejar documentation fee?
No. On Ejar the documentation fee falls on the lessor and only the lessor or the broker can pay it; the tenant’s role is to approve the lease so it can be documented. The tenant may still owe a broker’s commission if the tenant is the one who hired the broker.
If a real estate office pays the Ejar fees, who carries any unpaid fee?
The lessor. According to Ejar, a debt for platform fees is recorded against the lessor, even when a brokerage office is the one that pays the platform’s fees.
Can the Ejar wallet balance be refunded?
Yes. The lessor and the broker can withdraw the available wallet balance to an IBAN after entering a verification code sent to the mobile number registered in Absher.
Can the landlord add other charges such as parking or cleaning?
According to Ejar, any extra charges the parties agree on, such as parking or cleaning, are written into the lease as a fixed service amount. Owners’ association fees are not part of the lease; the association manager sets them on the Mullak platform.
Official sources
- Ejar: frequently asked questions
- Ejar: new rules governing the landlord–tenant relationship (FAQ)
- Ejar: unified residential lease
- Real Estate Brokerage Law (REGA)
General information for guidance, not legal advice; the governing regulations and official bodies are the final reference.
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