The Cypriot Parliament has finally approved a law aimed at eliminating years of injustice against thousands of property buyers who found themselves in legal limbo. These individuals paid for their houses and apartments in full, yet never received official title deeds due to mortgages, debt encumbrances, or urban planning violations committed by the sellers, not them.
The new legislative framework enables the legal registration of property rights, even when this was previously impossible for technical reasons. The decision affects nearly 9,500 people, over 5,000 of whom are still waiting for the process to be completed.
What is changing, and how does it work?
According to an announcement by the Property Rights Settlement Service (ΣΥΠΡΟΔΑΤ), the new mechanism allows for the removal of liens and encumbrances on property after full payment has been made, even without the consent of the creditors. In such cases, judicial intervention bypasses the refusal of the bank or other party if it is deemed an abuse of rights.
The law also establishes clear deadlines: eight months for submitting the necessary documents and two years for completing title registration. During this time, compulsory alienation of property (expropriation) is prohibited to protect buyers from losing their homes before the process is complete.
A personalized approach is used to resolve urban planning disputes
All affected buyers will receive personalized notifications from the Cyprus Land Registry with step-by-step instructions. This ensures that people do not get lost in the bureaucratic process and can correctly and safely navigate all stages. Additionally, the law provides for a second phase to deal with more complex cases, such as those involving urban planning violations requiring separate settlement and approval.
A new era of trust and justice
The Cypriot Parliament has urged banks to honor the intent of the new legislation and refrain from challenging it in court, as occurred previously. The law emphasizes that its aim is to restore citizens' trust in the state and to protect the basic constitutional rights to housing and property.
The adopted measures reflect a systematic approach to resolving an issue that has remained unresolved for decades despite obvious social injustice. This legislation is considered one of the most significant steps toward legally protecting bona fide buyers in the Cyprus real estate market.