He also says: Some customers come to the real estate office and ask about housing, and when they see the property, they pay a deposit to secure it, approximately.
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The questioner : In his second question, he says: Some customers come to the real estate office and ask about housing, and when they see the property, they pay a deposit to secure it, approximately...
The Shaykh : Did they pay?
The questioner : A deposit.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : To secure it, approximately five hundred Saudi riyals. They go to other offices and look for a place like a building, apartments, or a shop. If they find a better property, they do not come to us. Is the deposit we took lawful for us, or does it belong to the owner of the property? Sometimes they do not come at all. We ask for guidance on this?
The Shaykh : The deposit is what is paid when concluding a sale or lease contract, on the condition that if the one who paid this deposit completes the contract, it becomes part of the price.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Or part of the rent. And if the contract is not completed, it belongs to the owner of the property or the seller.
And based on this, if the tenant gave you five hundred riyals as a deposit and he did not show up and you lost hope of his coming, it is yours. However, it belongs to the owner of the property, and from it, you, the office owner, take your fee. Yes, it belongs to the owner of the property, and from it, the office owner takes the amount of his fee. If his fee is five riyals per hundred, he takes half a tenth from this deposit. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Did they pay?
The questioner : A deposit.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : To secure it, approximately five hundred Saudi riyals. They go to other offices and look for a place like a building, apartments, or a shop. If they find a better property, they do not come to us. Is the deposit we took lawful for us, or does it belong to the owner of the property? Sometimes they do not come at all. We ask for guidance on this?
The Shaykh : The deposit is what is paid when concluding a sale or lease contract, on the condition that if the one who paid this deposit completes the contract, it becomes part of the price.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Or part of the rent. And if the contract is not completed, it belongs to the owner of the property or the seller.
And based on this, if the tenant gave you five hundred riyals as a deposit and he did not show up and you lost hope of his coming, it is yours. However, it belongs to the owner of the property, and from it, you, the office owner, take your fee. Yes, it belongs to the owner of the property, and from it, the office owner takes the amount of his fee. If his fee is five riyals per hundred, he takes half a tenth from this deposit. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.