Hello everyone, new guy here, a question regarding utilities

[redhotemba]

Hello everyone, I would like to introduce myself and then ask question please.
Still living in the UK and after many visits to Cyprus, both the Republic and the North, my wife and I have recently purchased a small re-sale Villa in the Pafos area my sign in name should give clue as to where!
Worthy of comment is that at completion the Land Registry market valuation was 30,000 euros above the actual purchase price! I happily paid the tax on the higher value in order to obtain those all important title deeds.
Now my question, as I shall not be living I the house for a year or two how do I pay the “standing charges” for electricity and water? I know how they are invoiced and that there are penalties for not paying but how do I physically pay these bills correctly and on time when I am not there. Both services are “connected” in my name.

[Nigel Howarth]

Hi 'redhot' and welcome to the forum,

Paying the electricity is not too much of a problem - you can do it by Standing Order through a Cyprus Bank. If you visit the EAC office in Paphos (assuming there isn't one in Emba), they'll give you the necessary forms.

Water & the local equivalent of Council Tax is more difficult. Your local Community Office issues the bills and delivers them to your door. I suggest you visit their office and see if it's possible for them to send you the bills in the UK. If they can't do this, you'll need to someone to visit the office & pay on your behalf - a neighbour perhaps? Alternatively, you may be able to prepay them at the office - say €500 - to cover the bills for the next couple of years.

(If you're leaving the property empty, I suggest that you turn off the mains water supply and the electricity. And if you haven't done so already, it's advisable to change your door locks - just in case).

Sorry to hear that you had to pay over-the-top for your Title Deeds. You can object to the payment if you wish. Someone else had this problem a while back - the officer in the District Land Office made a mistake and though that an open patio area was covered and formed part of the habitable area.

Regards,

[redhotemba]

Hi Nigel and thank you. We are over in Pafos in September and not yet knowing our neighbours will probably have to contact the relevant offices to try and sort things out. From your answer I see that I am liable to pay council tax even though I am not living there, never gave that a thought!

Regarding Land Registry valuation, I did express surprise at the valuation to my lawyer, he said that what they estimate the "market" value to be is entirely up to them and bears no relation to a possible selling price. Maybe due to a lower volume in property sales they are clawing back a little "extra" on those re - sale transactions that are going through. Anyway having paid will let sleeping dogs lie.

About changing the locks, surprised that this is considered necessary in Cyprus, low crime rate and all, seems like I am going to have a fair bit of running about to do in September!

Thanks again, regards, redhotemba

[Nigel Howarth]

From your answer I see that I am liable to pay council tax even though I am not living there, never gave that a thought!

I'm afraid so. But don't worry, it shouldn't be more than £150/year.

Cheers,