Housing Ministry Tightens Monitoring on Illegal Division of Residential Units: Legal Expert Tells Okaz: Responsibility Extends to Tenant

6 July 2026 - 00:18 | Last updated 6 July 2026 - 00:18

Abeer Daghriri.

The guide includes all residential and commercial residential units that have been divided illegally.

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Badriya Al Omar (Riyadh) bdoo_202@

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has adopted a guide for monitoring illegal division of residential units, aimed at standardizing monitoring procedures and reducing irregular divisions that affect building safety and the quality of the living environment. The guide specifies roles and responsibilities, as well as mechanisms for detecting, verifying, and addressing violations, through matching data and rental contracts with licenses, utilizing community reports, and conducting field inspections.

The guide covers all residential and commercial residential units that have been illegally divided, with tasks distributed among the ministry, municipalities, partner entities, property owners, and tenants, enhancing the efficiency of monitoring and compliance with municipal regulations.

Lawyer Abeer Daghriri told Okaz that the guide represents an important organizational step to control violations of property division without licenses or in violation of building requirements, emphasizing that legal responsibility falls on the property owner and may extend to the tenant if their involvement in the violation is proven. She pointed out that penalties start with financial fines and may escalate to removal of violations or demolition of offending parts, suspension of some services, and referral of serious cases to the Public Prosecution.

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has adopted a guide for monitoring illegal divisions of residential units aimed at standardizing monitoring procedures and reducing irregular divisions that affect the safety of buildings and the quality of the living environment. The guide specifies roles and responsibilities, as well as mechanisms for detecting, verifying, and addressing violations, through matching data and rental contracts with licenses, utilizing community reports, and conducting field tours.

The guide includes all residential and commercial residential units that have been divided illegally, with the distribution of tasks among the ministry, municipalities, and partner entities, in addition to property owners and tenants, which enhances the efficiency of monitoring and compliance with municipal regulations.

Lawyer Abeer Daghriri explained to "Okaz" that the guide represents an important organizational step to control violations of property divisions without licenses or in violation of construction requirements, emphasizing that the legal responsibility falls on the property owner, and may extend to the tenant if their involvement in the violation is proven. She pointed out that penalties start with financial fines and may reach the removal of violations or demolition of the offending parts, suspension of some services, and referral of serious cases to the Public Prosecution.