The Ministry of Justice has issued a circular stipulating that real estate conveyance and mortgage registration be conducted in a single procedure and documented in a single deed, resulting in a mortgaged title deed, with the aim of safeguarding the rights of all parties.

This circular was issued in response to requests found in some notarial deeds to first transfer title to real estate financed by a bank or finance company to the customer and then proceed with the mortgage.

Last May, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) required all banks and finance companies to document mortgages in accordance with the terms of their contracts and to cease procedures related to transferring property ownership instead of mortgaging it.