Renting Without a Guarantor in Saudi Arabia: How to Sign a Lease Directly

Renting Without a Guarantor in Saudi Arabia: How to Sign a Lease Directly

If you have ever shortlisted an apartment in Saudi Arabia and been told at the last minute that the landlord wants a كفيل — a guarantor — before signing the lease, you are not alone. It is a familiar moment, especially for first-time tenants and newcomers, and it can feel like a wall in the middle of an otherwise straightforward rental.

The short version: in most residential leases registered through Ejar today, a guarantor is not a legal requirement. It is a traditional practice some landlords use to manage the risk of late payment in the conventional annual-upfront rental model. When you have verifiable income and a structured payment method, the case for a guarantor weakens significantly. That is exactly the situation Dlight is built for: converting an annual rent into a structured monthly payment plan while you sign the lease directly with the landlord through Ejar, with no third-party co-signer.

What is a guarantor, and why do some landlords ask for one?

In a residential lease, a guarantor is a third party who agrees to cover the rent if the tenant defaults. It is not a uniform legal requirement across Saudi rentals — it is a practice that grew up around a specific market reality: rent in Saudi Arabia has traditionally been paid annually upfront, often through post-dated cheques, which makes landlords sensitive to any signal of payment risk.

Some of the practical reasons landlords (or their brokers) ask for a guarantor:

• The annual cheque-based model gives them no way to react quickly if a future cheque bounces.
• They have no independent way to verify the tenant's income stability.
• The brokerage office defaults to asking for one because it is the path of least resistance.

The takeaway: a guarantor request is the other side's preference, not a binding rule on you. As monthly-payment options become more common in the Saudi rental market, more landlords are open to alternatives to a traditional guarantor.

When you genuinely do not need a guarantor

There are common situations where a guarantor adds nothing meaningful and is not necessary:

• Verifiable, regular income. A salaried tenant with a steady monthly income has measurable ability to pay. The guarantor was meant to substitute for that signal — when the signal is already there, the substitute is redundant.
• A structured monthly payment method. If the rent is paid monthly under a clear plan, the risk window the guarantor was supposed to cover shrinks dramatically.
• An Ejar-registered lease. Ejar provides a clear legal framework for both parties' rights and obligations, which reduces a landlord's reliance on informal guarantees.
• A trusted payment provider paying the landlord directly. When a payment provider pays the landlord upfront and the tenant pays the provider monthly, the landlord has already received their payment — there is nothing left for a guarantor to backstop.

These are not edge cases. They describe where the Saudi rental market is moving as monthly-payment options and electronic registration become standard.

Practical ways to rent without a guarantor

If you are looking to rent without a guarantor in Riyadh, Jeddah, or any Saudi city, here are realistic options:

1. Negotiate directly with the landlord

Offer alternatives that address the landlord's actual concern: an Ejar-registered lease, proof of income (salary letter or bank statement), and a structured payment plan. In practice, many landlords ask for a guarantor by default but will consider substitutes that give them similar comfort.

2. Choose units managed by an office that does not require a guarantor

Brokerage offices vary in their policies. Some demand a guarantor strictly, others accept verified income documentation, and others are comfortable working with a monthly-payment provider as the operational guarantee. Ask before you sign.

3. Use a monthly rent payment provider

This is where Dlight fits in. The provider pays the full annual rent upfront to the landlord (which is what the landlord wants), and you repay the provider monthly. The result: the landlord is paid in full at signing, you pay monthly within your budget, and there is no need for a guarantor because the payment mechanism is structured from day one.

Dlight: rent without a guarantor, sign directly through Ejar

Dlight is a Saudi fintech company that helps tenants convert annual rent into structured monthly payments. The flow is straightforward:

1. You choose the apartment yourself. Dlight does not list, find, or match apartments — that decision is yours.
2. You apply through dlight.ai/register, and your application is reviewed and verified.
3. Once approved and the Ejar lease is signed, Dlight pays the annual rent to the landlord on your behalf.
4. You repay Dlight monthly under the agreed plan, with a clear service fee disclosed before you commit.

The point that matters most here: Dlight does not ask you for a guarantor. You sign the lease directly with the landlord through the official Ejar platform, and Dlight functions as a payment facilitator — not as a party that needs an additional co-signer. There is no third-party signature, no personal liability on a relative or colleague. The lease relationship is between you and the landlord; the financial relationship is between you and Dlight.

That simplifies the whole picture: the landlord is paid annually upfront the way they prefer, you pay monthly the way you prefer, and no one is asked to act as a guarantor.

What you actually need before you sign

The guarantor question is not the only thing to settle. Before signing a Saudi residential lease, make sure of:

• Ejar registration. Any standard residential lease should be registered on Ejar. Do not sign an unregistered contract.
• Owner identity matches the title. The name on the lease and the title deed must align with whoever you are contracting with.
• Clear lease terms. Annual amount, payment dates, contract period, renewal terms, and termination clauses.
• Security deposit. Know the amount, who holds it, and the conditions for getting it back. This is between you and the landlord directly.
• Utilities and maintenance. Agree explicitly on who pays for electricity, water, internet, and maintenance. Put it in writing in the contract.

These items sit between the tenant and the landlord. No monthly payment provider, including Dlight, takes them on. Dlight's role is narrow: converting the annual rent into monthly installments. Property administration stays with the landlord, the security deposit stays between the tenant and the landlord, and any maintenance arrangements are settled in the lease itself.

FAQ

Is a guarantor legally required in Saudi residential lease contracts?

No, it is not a uniform legal requirement. A guarantor in a residential lease is a request from some landlords or brokerage offices for practical reasons — not a regulatory mandate. Ejar registers the lease between tenant and landlord and gives both sides a clear legal framework; whether a guarantor is needed is something the parties agree on in the contract, not something Ejar itself mandates.

Does Dlight require a guarantor?

No. Dlight does not ask the tenant for a guarantor. Applications go through eligibility review and verification, but there is no third-party signature and no personal liability on any relative or colleague. You sign the lease directly with the landlord through Ejar, and you repay Dlight monthly under the agreed plan.

What if the landlord still insists on a guarantor after I have offered alternatives?

You have two realistic options. Negotiate again with proof of income, an Ejar-registered lease, and a structured monthly payment mechanism — many landlords accept these substitutes once they understand the payment flow is organized from day one. Or move on to a unit whose landlord is more flexible. The Saudi market has plenty of both kinds.

Check your eligibility with Dlight at dlight.ai/register and rent directly without a guarantor.