Cyprus Property Forum for Buyers, Sellers & Investors

Hi all,

I have an elderly grandparent who has a flat in Cyprus that he would like to transfer over to myself.

He would like me to be his power of attorney to complete this task. I am resident in the UK.

I thus need to: (1) arrange for the preparation of a PoA (2) transfer ownership.

Do I need to arrange for the PoA to be prepared in Cyprus and can I then arrange for it to be executed at the embassy in the UK? Or can I have it prepared in the UK.

Ultimately, my grandad is elderly and doesn’t want to travel to Cyprus so I am trying to keep as many actions in the UK.

Thanks in advance.

Hi sereneplaces

You can have the PoA prepared in the UK by a solicitor and then you and your grandfather will need to visit the Cyprus High Commission or one of the Honorary Consulates to have the PoA certified. (Or you can have the PoA verified by a Notary Public in your area and then forward it to the High Commission in London for verification.)

You can find more details at https://cyprusinuk.com/legalisation-of-documents/

List of Honorary Consulates at https://cyprusinuk.com/honorary-consulates/

You can find a local Notary Public by searching https://www.thenotariessociety.org.uk/

You will both need to take proof of your identities - passport or ID card.

You can then visit Cyprus with the PoA and facilitate the transfer of the property.

Regards,

Nigel, that's incredibly helpful. Thank you.

I am hoping I can now locate a solicitor in the UK competent in preparing Cypriot law compliant PoAs - I'll ask around.

Thank you.

You're welcome

I think I have a Power of Attorney document somewhere on my computer. If I can find it, I'll email it to you.

Regards,

sereneplaces wrote: 20 Nov 2019 10:32 Nigel, that's incredibly helpful. Thank you.

I am hoping I can now start making sausages with sausage stuffers and locate a solicitor in the UK competent in preparing Cypriot law compliant PoAs - I'll ask around.

Thank you.

Would you be so kind and do the same for me, Nigel?

Point to note: Not all PoA are the same and one needs to careful exactly what powers they are delegating.

The power needs to be specific to encompass all the actions required in order to make the necessary transaction otherwise it will not be accepted.

You could have a general power that deals with everything, but this has to be done with care as to not be abused.

Good luck

Hi Sereneplaces & Garrand

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find a PoA document on my computer; I must have inadvertently deleted it.

But I have found something on the Internet that's on its way to you both by email that may help your solicitor to formulate the wording.

Regards,

Hi Sereneplaces & Garrand

It is advisable to have the power of attorney drafted in Cyprus, so to make sure it can be used for that specific transaction.

It needs to include also clause about getting tax clearances etc.

You will also need to prove the relationship between the parties for this gift transfer.

If you wish we can give more information and guide you through all the procedures.

(Dear Sereneplaces & Garrand, If you wish to contact Mr Konstantinou, please click on 'mconst24' above to see his contact details. Nigel Howarth)

I'm having trouble finding a solicitor in London who can prepare a power of attorney according to Greek Cypriot law so that my husband can travel to Cyprus sell our house in NIcosia without me having to go there myself.

The Cypriot High Commission is advising people that they can't help with power of attorney documents during the pandemic.

Does anybody know how I can get a power of attorney document in London please?

I've been trying for around 2 months to get help with this.

Hi Robyn

I suggest you try Chris Christofi at Christofilaw. He may be able to help.

If not, you'll have to get the power of attorney drafted in Cyprus. You can find a list of English-speaking lawyers on the GOV.UK website.

Regards,

Thanks, I'll have to try a solicitor in Cyprus. I think I've already contacted Christofilaw without success, but I'll check my emails.

Thanks

If you haven't already commissioned a solicitor in Cyprus this may be of help.
The internet is full of templates for POA's. Yours is very specific, that is to sell a property, but to be effective, it must be general enough to include all the steps up to transfer and Cyprus solicitors will write themselves into it for every step, whereas you may want your husband to take care of a lot of the things that solicitors will charge for.

The Cyprus High Commission in London has within its walls a consulate that deals with all the things you need, whether it is a POA for a Cyprus solicitor or your husband. You will find it on the internet and you can go to the department that witnesses POA's, effectively a Commissioner of Oaths, and make an appointment. Usually the waiting list is about 6 weeks and you will have to go in person, your husband cannot do it for you.

It is, unfortunately, the case that whatever documents you have correctly prepared, the system may ignore them unless there is a Cyprus solicitor involved. Good luck with that.