Property title row in Cyprus revealed
More details of the Cyprus government’s proposals to solve the Mediterranean island’s property title saga have been revealed.
Its draft bill sets out the case for an amnesty for illegal buildings. Where they do not affect the interest of nearby properties a special committee will give permission for title deeds to be granted.
Depending on the extent of the building regulations violation, there will be three types of titles. Where there is no violation a Final Title will be granted, where there are minor infringements an Incomplete Title will be granted with the violations recorded and there will be an Incomplete Title for serious violations, also with the infringements laid out.
Although the third group with serious violations will be granted a title deed the property cannot be sold, transferred or mortgaged until the infringements are removed.
It also indicates how violations will be graded. Building density that exceeds limits by 10%, the erection of an extra floor, and intrusion onto a neighbour’s plot are among those that will be considered serious.
The draft is now available for scrutiny by interested groups and parties and it is expected that a final proposal will be submitted to parliament by the end of the year. Many though believe the proposals are insufficient.
‘Although we believe that these measures will help ease the situation, they do not go far enough. It is like changing a part of an aged engine, as opposed to changing the whole engine, or even carrying out an overhaul,’ said a spokesman for chartered surveyors Antonis Loizou & Associates.
‘We feel that the UK or Greek system on titles is better. In these countries the securing of the permit is one thing and the title issue is another as opposed to our system which implies that 100% of the building permits conditions must be adhered to before the title issue. We have stressed to the Government and others to adopt a liberal system to get the backload of titles and permits issued, so that we can proceed with a clean plate in the future,’ he added.