Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Several citizens in Jeddah have lost ownership of their properties even after purchasing them with legal documents. Some of them came to know after 35 years that the ownership of their property has been transferred to another person with valid deeds. Jeddah Court has received 75 such cases during the past one year. This situation has forced property owners to take legal action against individuals who sold them those properties. For example, Mohammed Khaled purchased a property a few years ago for SR3 million. A few weeks ago he was surprised to know that the property is now owned by somebody else with a legal deed. Now he has to look for the person who sold him the property and take legal action against him. Another Saudi lost his property after the court nullified his deed and handed over the property to a person who owned its previous deed, incurring him heavy financial losses. Citizens who owned properties 35 years ago between Makkah and Jeddah found that their plots of land were originally owned by the state and their deeds have been cancelled for violating the law, although they have been exchanging properties in the area for the past 35 years. Some of the individuals who sold properties in the area have already passed away and nobody knows their heirs. Mohammed Ibrahim said: "Myself and a number my family members have been holding ownership of properties in the area on the basis of old deeds. The properties were purchased 35 years ago. When we approached the notary public for renewing the deeds and transfer them to electronic deeds we came to know that the property has been owned by the Finance Ministry on the basis of a legal deed." Ibrahim added: "We came to know that the deeds showing ownership of the property have been nullified. Now I have to take legal action against the person who sold me this property to retrieve my money. I don't know the name and address of the person who sold the property to me." A responsible legal source said the victims who lost property ownership could approach the court to retrieve their money. The person who sold the property to Ibrahim can file a law suit against the individual from whom he purchased the property based on a valid deed, the source said.
