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Find out moreThe first Law Update of 2024 is here, and our first focus of the year spotlights Healthcare and Lifesciences, a sector that is undergoing significant growth and development across the MENA region.
Our focus provides an insight into some of the most important regulatory updates across the region, such as the UAE’s groundbreaking law on the use of human genome, Kuwait’s resolution on nuclear and radioactive materials, the new regulations for healthcare services in Qatar, Egypt’s healthcare regulatory framework, and the impact of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law on the healthcare and life sciences sector … and there is so much more!
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Read the full editionDaniel Goodwin
February 2015
With such activities on the increase, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (“the Ministry”) has recently issued a new Foreign Property Marketing Licence and has set out the requirements to market foreign property off-the-plan in KSA.
The purpose of introducing the Foreign Property Marketing Licence is to put in place requirements that protect Saudi nationals concerning foreign real estate marketed to them within KSA. It is also consistent with the consumer protection policies behind the requirement for the Licence for the Sale of Units On-the-Map, which applies to the sale of property off-the-plan within KSA.
The Ministry has recently issued a circular confirming that, without obtaining an approval for a Foreign Property Marketing Licence, it is prohibited within KSA to offer any foreign real estate units for sales off-the-plan or to publish advertisements or to market foreign real estate units through the media or by any exhibitions.
REQUIREMENTS & CONDITIONS OF A FOREIGN PROPERTY MARKETING LICENCE
Some of the requirements to obtain a Foreign Property Marketing Licence include:
To achieve a certain level of disclosure and transparency and to ‘level the playing field’ between buyers and marketers of foreign property, some of the conditions imposed on licence holders include:
CARRYING OUT MARKETING AND ADVERTISING OF FOREIGN REAL ESTATE
Unsurprisingly then, it is a requirement to first have a Foreign Property Marketing Licence before commencing marketing activities, advertisements, seminars or exhibitions to promote any foreign real estate.
Some of the Ministry’s stipulations include that any advertisement:
Conclusion
The stability, growth and opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia attract many, including property marketers. The Foreign Property Marketing Licence applies directly to the sale off-the-plan of foreign property of any type to nationals within KSA. A failure to obtain a Licence will leave both the developer and any promoter in KSA open to a range of penalties.
The contents of the agreement between the foreign developer and the KSA marketing agent needs to be drafted carefully to protect each party’s interests, to set out the necessary procedures for introducing Saudi buyers and to comply with the Foreign Property Marketing Licence requirements and other relevant laws that apply.
With increased interest in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is prudent for the KSA authorities to issue regulations which clarify the requirements for the sale of foreign property for buyers, Saudi real estate brokers and for foreign developers, especially at a time when such sales in KSA are so strong.
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