Anthonis Loizou Column Cyprus Weekly

[TimW]

I've just finished reading the Anthonis Loizou column in the Cyprus Weekly.

He says that it's OK to start building work without a building permit and that the authorities don't bother about the final certificate of approval. He also seems to be saying that it's OK to put in a swimming pool without planning permission.

Is this correct?

[Nigel Howarth]

Hi Tim,

Yes, a number of property developers do start construction work before they have been granted the required permits - and as AL correctly points out, they do this at their risk.

It's all very well the developers breaking the law and risking their money - that's up to them. But, if you hand over any money before the permits are issued, the developers are effectively getting you to take on that risk - that, in my book, is unacceptable.

There is a case that I know of in Larnaca District where a number of people bought properties (off-plan), paid for them in full, took delivery and moved in. But the Planning Authority refused to issue the Planning Permits and the people have now discovered that there are demolition orders on their property. So not only have they potentially lost all their money, they've potentially lost their homes as well!!! (There's also a thread on this forum about a development with building permit problems).

It is illegal to build without the required Planning Approval and Building Permits. But as soon as Planning Approval has been granted, the building site can be prepared ready for construction work to start as soon as the Building Permit is issued.

I was interested to read AL's statement that 99.9% of properties are occupied without a Final Certificate of Approval. You can look at that another way and say that 99.9% of the properties do not have full Title Deeds - and that demonstrates the extent of the problem here!

It is true that some authorities overlook the Final Certificate of Approval - but a number of people in Paphos have been issued with summonses by the Interior Ministry on the grounds that they were occupying their properties illegally.

As you may know, there's little/no independent inspection of a property as it is built here. So the only chance you have of getting your property an independent rubber-stamp of approval that it has been built in accordance with building regulations and the various permits issued for its construction is through the Final Certificate of Approval - and there are obvious health & safety implications as well. (I'd be very interested to know how many of the 99.9% of properties that do not have their Certificate actually failed their inspection).

Many of us, like me, have chosen to make our permanent homes in Cyprus. The very least we must do is respect and adhere to the laws of the country in which we've chosen to live.

Regards