Thousands of homeowners in Cyprus still cannot obtain title to their property. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has prepared a strategy to overcome this long-term problem.
Owners of property without title are divided into three categories:
- Those who have fulfilled all their obligations but were unable to obtain the document due to the developer’s debts.
- Those who were unable to obtain title because they illegally made changes to their property.
- Those who did not receive the document because the developer carried out the construction with violations.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs is preparing to hold an urban amnesty. People from the first category will receive the document free of charge.
Property owners from the second group will have to pay compensation. The amount of compensation will depend on the type of violation, for which a special “price list” will be prepared.
Owners from the third category will also be able to obtain the title free of charge, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs will claim compensation from the developer-violator.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs will soon submit two bills regulating title issues to Parliament.
Minister of Internal Affairs Konstantinos Ioannou said: “Our intention is to establish a fee for each category of construction violation. The ultimate goal is to link the income received in this way with the state’s housing policy. That is, to ensure that these incomes are used for the benefit of recipients of affordable housing.”
There are 10,000 property owners in Cyprus who do not have title deeds due to the developer’s irregularities.
