Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law

Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law

Comparative Analysis of Owner's Liability for Property Dilapidation; A Study of the "Waste" Doctrine in Common Law and Iranian Law

Articles in Press

Document Type : scientific research paper

Authors
seyedmostafa Mohagheghdamad 1
seyedali mirlohi 2
mortaza cihtsazian 3
1 Professor of Shahid Beheshti University
2 PhD student in Jurisprudence and Law, Shahid Motahari University and Graduate School, Tehran, Iran
3 Associate Professor and Faculty Member of the Department of Jurisprudence and Law, Shahid Motahhari Higher Education School, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/law.2026.2083336.1755
Abstract
In modern legal systems, the concept of ownership has gradually moved away from an absolute, individual-centered, and unconditional right and has become intertwined with a set of social, economic, and environmental obligations aimed at safeguarding national and intergenerational wealth. In this context, one of the fundamental challenges of property law in Iran lies in the absence of a coherent and preventive legal regime obligating owners to undertake “preventive maintenance and repair” of immovable properties. This legal vacuum is particularly evident in situations involving the separation of ownership of the corpus and usufruct-such as leases, endowments (waqf), and other usufructuary rights-as well as in apartment ownership regimes. The result is the accelerated deterioration of buildings, a reduction in the economic lifespan of immovable assets, and the emergence of a phenomenon that may be described as the “tragedy of asset decay.”This study adopts a descriptive–analytical methodology and draws upon the framework of the economic analysis of law to examine the feasibility of establishing an independent legal institution under the title of “property maintenance obligation (nafaqat al-amlak)” within Iranian law, while also learning from the experiences of the common law system. The findings indicate that the Iranian legal system, by primarily focusing on “ex post compensation for damage” and relying on a narrowly defined, safety-oriented approach—exemplified by Article 55(14) of the Municipal Law—has proven ineffective in preventing gradual depreciation and deterioration. Moreover, the concept of “nafaqa” has been mistakenly confined to the realm of family law or the maintenance of animals, thereby overlooking its broader potential application to immovable property.By contrast, the common law system, through the development of the doctrine of “waste” and its nuanced distinction between voluntary waste and “permissive waste” arising from omission, imposes a duty on owners and possessors to preserve the economic value of property not only for present interests but also for future stakeholders. The results of this study suggest that overcoming the current deficiencies requires more than reliance on traditional tort-based liability rules. Rather, a shift from “fault-based liability” to a “duty to achieve results” is necessary, accompanied by the activation of institutional mechanisms such as mandatory building insurance conditional upon obtaining technical health certificates, and standard-based, preventive intervention by municipalities to raise the cost of neglect for property owners. Ultimately, the article proposes that the legislature, inspired by the coherent structure of the waste doctrine and a renewed reading of Islamic jurisprudential principles such as the prohibition of wasting property (hurmat idā‘at al-māl), should recognize the failure to carry out essential repairs as a form of objective fault and incorporate clear and enforceable sanctions into the Civil Code..
Keywords
Property maintenance
loss
preventive civil liability
economic rights
asset depreciation
common law
Subjects
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Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 20 April 2026