Riyadh Rent Freeze 2026: Can Your Landlord Increase Rent?

Can a landlord increase rent in Riyadh in 2026? Annual increases in total rent for residential and commercial properties within Riyadh’s urban boundaries were suspended for five years from September 25, 2025. Review any proposed increase against these provisions, including when a lease renews or a tenant changes. Source: REGA’s Ejar FAQs.

Sources checked October 4, 2026. This is a general explanation for landlords, tenants and property managers. Ask REGA or a qualified adviser about individual cases.

What does the Riyadh rent freeze mean?

The restriction concerns rental increases within the defined area. Rent payments still need to be recorded and reconciled. An increase in advertised neighborhood prices does not establish that a particular lease can be repriced. A district’s marketing name also does not establish whether a property falls within the relevant boundary.

Before preparing an offer, collect the unit’s address, its most recent lease and the total rent recorded in that lease. This simple file distinguishes an existing rental from a property being rented for the first time.

Existing leases, vacant units and first lettings

REGA’s announcement distinguishes these situations:

• Existing lease: Check the agreed total rent. Annual increases are suspended during the applicable period.
• Vacant property previously rented: The reference is the total rent in its last Ejar contract, rather than a new tenant’s proposed price.
• Property never previously rented: The landlord and tenant agree its initial rent.
• Property outside Riyadh: Check the rules and decisions applicable to its location instead of assuming the Riyadh restriction applies.

Can a new fee replace a rent increase?

The statutory provisions define total rent to include rent and other sums the tenant pays the landlord under the lease. Renaming an amount as a fee should therefore not be treated as a way around the restriction. Have a proposed new charge reviewed before adding it.

A worked renewal review

For illustration, suppose a previously rented unit’s last annual rent is SAR 60,000 and a new draft asks for SAR 66,000. The difference is SAR 6,000, or 10%. Flag that difference before sending the draft and review the applicable rules. Higher advertised asking prices do not, by themselves, validate the change.

Compare equivalent periods. Four quarterly payments of SAR 15,000 total SAR 60,000 a year. A monthly payment of SAR 15,000 describes a very different commitment. Keep the payment frequency beside the amount so nobody compares one installment with a full year’s rent.

Automatic renewal and the 60-day notice

REGA describes at least 60 days’ notice for non-renewal, with additional restrictions in Riyadh. Grounds for a landlord’s refusal include non-payment, documented structural safety defects, personal residential use by the landlord or a first-degree relative, and other approved cases. Check REGA’s current renewal guidance. Giving notice alone does not establish an acceptable reason.

For your office workflow, assign one person to each renewal and set an internal review date comfortably before the applicable deadline. Retain the notice, evidence of delivery and the document supporting the proposed action. An internal staff message is not a substitute for any required communication to the parties or official procedure.

When can a landlord object to the reference rent?

The provisions allow objections concerning previously rented vacant property in circumstances such as substantial structural works affecting rental value or a last lease concluded before 2024. An objection is not automatic approval of a higher price. Refer to clause three and REGA’s decision process before using a different amount.

A practical checklist for property managers

1. Confirm the unit and lease identifiers so two units in the same building cannot be confused.
2. Attach the most recent documented lease and identify whether the unit was previously rented.
3. Compare total rent, payment frequency and draft terms, rather than only the line labeled rent.
4. Record the expiry date, internal review date and person responsible for renewal follow-up.
5. Reconcile payment records before labeling a tenant as overdue.
6. Keep objections and official responses separate from informal staff notes.

Use our free tenant account statement template to organize charges and payments before a review. For multiple properties, Osool’s lease and collection tools help bring records and follow-up into one workspace. Contract documentation and regulatory procedures remain with the relevant official channels.

Frequently asked questions

Does a new tenant mean the rent can increase?

A tenant change does not make a previously rented property a first letting. Review its last rental value and applicable status. Source: REGA’s announcement.

Does the restriction include shops and offices?

It covers residential and commercial property within the specified Riyadh urban boundaries. Source: REGA’s announcement.

Can management software replace checking Ejar?

Software helps organize dates and records. Verify the contract’s status and required actions through the official channel, and ask REGA to clarify a particular case when needed.

Prepare each lease file before its deadline: start Osool’s 15-day free trial with no credit card.