Off-plan Sales Lawyers in Jeddah

Off-plan sales (Wafi) in Jeddah: real protection if you understand it before signing

The "Wafi" program under the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing fundamentally changed off-plan sales rules in Saudi Arabia: no developer may sell a real estate unit before completion without an official program license, and a dedicated bank escrow account for the project can only be drawn from per completion percentages certified by an independent engineering office. Before buying any off-plan unit, verifying the project's license number on the Wafi platform is a first step that shouldn't be skipped.

Looking for Off-plan Sales Lawyers in Jeddah? This lawyer directory lists independent lawyers who handle this area and can put you in touch with one in Jeddah. Browse the full lawyer directory or compare other legal services in Saudi Arabia.

The escrow account: how it actually protects you

All your payments are deposited into an independent bank escrow account, and the developer may not withdraw any amount from it except according to actual completion stages certified by an independent engineering office reporting periodically to the competent committee. This prevents your money being used in the developer's other projects or for personal purposes, and the account custodian retains 5% of the construction value (or an equivalent bank guarantee) until a full year has passed since the contractor delivered the project to the developer.

Delay compensation: a statutory right, not just an optional clause

If the developer delays delivering the unit for reasons within their control, the buyer is entitled to a statutory minimum compensation that the developer cannot contract around or set lower in the sale agreement, and the actual figure depends on the unit type and the project's specifics. The lawyers regularly see buyers accept whatever the developer offers, or accept a contractual delay clause that is actually below what the law guarantees them regardless. Checking your contract's delay clause against the statutory floor before accepting any settlement is worth doing before you sign anything, not after.

Warranty limits: 10 years for structure, one year for finishing

The structural defect warranty extends 10 years from the delivery date, while the finishing and other works warranty extends only one year. Knowing this difference matters when discovering a defect later, to determine whether it still falls within the active warranty period.

Our off-plan sales (Wafi) services

• Verifying the project's license and escrow account before purchase
• Reviewing the off-plan sale contract and confirming adequate compensation clauses
• Claiming delay compensation or terminating the contract and recovering funds in cases of serious default
• Representing buyers in structural defect disputes within the warranty period

How we start

1. Send us the project or proposed purchase contract details over WhatsApp
2. The lawyers verify the project's license and escrow account and review the contract's clauses
3. The lawyers represent you through to completing the purchase safely or recovering your right in case of default

To purchase an off-plan unit or address a stalled project dispute in Jeddah, contact us on WhatsApp.

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