Cyprus Property Forum for Buyers, Sellers & Investors

Hi,

I have just registered today on the hope someone on the forum may have some experience / knowledge to help.
I have been trying to purchase a property (oldish) that is a little worse for the wear and is currently empty and overgrown. I have been in touch with the Local municipal office in Paphos and Peyia. My issue is that the owners have not been at the property for many many years I know from the neighbours and I am trying to trace who the legal owners of the property are to allow me to discuss option to buy.
The local council are pushing me to contact a property developer who will be able they say to do the work for me and I purchase through them which I want to stay away from as not doubt there will be fees and mark up added.
I last visited the council office in Peyia (and also Paphos office who sent me back to Peyia office) last Thursday in person to try to get some information on who last payed the service charges, what year and their name etc, but they said they had no records and couldn't help but again gave me a number of Aristo developers and said I should talk to them and progress it with Aristo? I think this seems strange that the council cannot help? Or is this normal practice?
And final question, does anyone know how I can find the information, bill payers, title deed holder etc so I can progress privately without any developer involved.

Thanks & Regards
John

Hi John and welcome to the forum,

You will need to find out who purchased the property and liaise with them. In the UK, finding out who owns a property is very straightforward - you can get the information from the Internet. However, as the law in Cyprus is quite different to that of the UK, obtaining this information can be difficult.

In England and Wales

• The Land Registry operates an open register which means that copies of all documents referred to on the registered title can be obtained by anyone, subject to payment of the necessary fee.

In Cyprus

• Information or documents in the public register of Titles connected with the ownership of immovable properties and charges or encumbrances lodged against them are treated as confidential and unavailable for public inspection.

It may be possible for a lawyer here 'with a good working relationship' with the Cyprus Land Registry staff to obtain the information.

You may also try asking the neighbours if they know who has bought the house.

The developer may be willing to help and give you their name and contact details, but you must not have any work done on the property until you have completed a deal with the purchasers.

Regards,

Hi jsam74.

We have been through and done what you are proposing to do.We are glad we did it and are now settled in.How ever we can only advise you before you spend anything on this adventure check out what you can and can,t do to the property.Cyprus being Cyprus the rules are very different than that in the UK.After we had the plans for our renovation submitted we were amazed at what we were not allowed to do which were normal practice in the UK..So of course had to go through the time and expence of having the plans drawn up and submitted again.
You may think that the architect should have known in the first place...This is not so on an older property.

Hope this helps.......Terry Liversidge