Joint Senate Committee Approves Real Estate Ownership Law as Passed by the House of Representatives
A joint Senate committee comprising the Legal and Financial Committees, chaired by Senator Rajai Muasher, approved the draft Real Estate Ownership Law for the year 2026 as passed by the House of Representatives.
اضافة اعلان
Senator Muasher confirmed that the committee conducted a thorough review of the draft law’s provisions, discussing its articles to ensure a balance between public interest requirements and the protection of citizens' rights. He emphasized the importance of legislation regulating real estate ownership in supporting developmental and investment projects in line with the public interest.
Muasher noted that Article 11 of the draft law refers land expropriation authority to the Cabinet, pointing out that the law guarantees citizens the right to object, with courts exercising their role in protecting citizens' rights and ensuring the proper implementation of laws.
He explained that the national railway project represents a strategic national initiative that will revitalize economic activity, boost transport and trade, and stimulate the Jordanian economy—reflecting positively across various sectors. He stressed that the legislation before the Senate will not infringe upon citizens' rights regarding lands that have been or will be expropriated for designated railway purposes.
For its part, the committee recommended that when drafting major legislation, the government must account for the direct impact on citizens and engage in prior consultations with relevant stakeholders. This aims to clarify legislative provisions and impacts, foster dialogue, and reach common ground, thereby enhancing awareness of legal contents and mitigating negative perceptions.
Additionally, the committee recommended improving mechanisms for handling joint ownership (tenancy in common) cases and enhancing the efficiency of the administrative body responsible for enforcing the law—particularly frontline staff interacting directly with the public. Through specialized training and qualification programs, these measures aim to ensure clear understanding of legal provisions and application mechanisms, minimizing varying interpretations and reducing redundant procedures and documentation.
The committee further recommended that the government prioritize, where possible, utilizing state-owned (Treasury) lands when executing infrastructure and major national projects, avoiding the expropriation of privately owned land except in cases of absolute necessity. It called for respecting the unique nature of touristic and environmental areas when determining project routes—specifically the railway project—to preserve private lands and high-value ecological and tourist zones, including the Wadi Rum area.
It also recommended issuing a regulation that precisely outlines the bases and mechanisms for calculating fair compensation values, ensuring unified valuation standards, justice, transparency, and the protection of property owners' rights.
It is worth noting that the compelling reasons for the draft law aim to enhance the investment climate in the real estate sector by enabling the Department of Lands and Survey to collect and analyze data, as well as publish periodic reports reflecting market realities and performance indicators.
The draft law also incorporates digital transformation across departmental procedures by adopting electronic transactions, e-signatures, online application processing, digital notices, and e-payment channels.
Furthermore, it aims to allow the off-plan sale and subdivision of buildings prior to construction, regulate non-Jordanian property ownership outside municipal boundaries for residential purposes under specific guidelines, and improve the efficiency of joint-ownership clearance committees.
The draft legislation also addresses financial leasing as a temporary form of ownership, expedites necessary approval procedures, and enhances legal stability for expropriated properties by shortening abandonment windows, refining fair compensation standards, and reinforcing judicial oversight.
