INTRODUCED in March 2011, Cyprus’ Town Planning Amnesty is designed to resolve some of the problems affecting an estimated 130,000 properties that have yet to be issued with their Title Deeds.
The amnesty enables owners of houses and apartments to ‘legitimise’ planning infringements (on payment of a fine) and secure a Final Certificate of Approval and subsequently, the Title Deed.
Only ‘minor’ infringements – such as closing up a balcony or building a garage – may be legalized in this way. The amnesty excludes cases where irregularities affect third parties or encroach on state property, or for flagrant violations such as the building ratio having been exceeded by 30 per cent or more.
In cases of flagrant violations, the owner will be barred from selling the property although they will be able to bequeath it in their Will.
The amnesty only applies to “existing buildings” which, according to article 10D of the Streets and Building (Revised) Law 2011, are those that have a Planning and/or a Building Permit (although they may have expired). The building must have been completed before the above law came into force on April 7, 2011.
According to the latest law reform the period for the submission of a statement of intent by owners of buildings with irregularities expires on the 30th April 2014. Statements may be submitted by purchasers of individual properties (second homes or apartments) where the owner himself is not willing to do so.
Further reading
Town Planning Amnesty Bulletin
Town Planning Amnesty Explained – presentation by Yiannis Koutsolambros of the Scientific and Technical Chamber of Cyprus
Declaration of Intent form under the Streets and Buildings Regulations Law
Declaration of Intent form under the Town and Country Planning Law
Note that it is the Greek language declarations that needs to be completed and submitted (the English translation in the declarations above are for guidance only).
Affidavit of Applicant (Greek)
The Streets and Buildings (Amendment) Act 2013 (Greek)
The Town and Country Planning (Amendment) (2) Law of 2013 (Greek)
Why am I not surprised to see the amnesty period extended? Well, it could be because a major beneficiary is generally the developer who breached the planning permission in the first place.
The condition that applies to major violations, namely that a tainted title deed will be issued that does not allow the property in question to be sold but it may be bequeathed in a will is another that has little benefit to the new “owner” of the title deed. It just ensures that someone keeps paying the costs – water, electricity, rates, maintenance and so on.
@Steve.R – No need for solicitors to be involved although a few are using it as an opportunity to tout for business – see We will get your Title Deeds for a price.
Solicitors at it again. Two years ago the charges for this service was an average of 1000 euro because you needed a surveyor and a solicitor. After lots of local media hype and scaremongering I still opted not to take out this facility. For all the thousands of people who did it seems like it was just another stunt to extract money for a service that wasn’t required and didnt help towards getting your title deeds as promised.
There’s one born every minute.
It has been over two years since this wee gem was introduced.
I would be very interested to know if anyone knows of anyone who has obtained their deeds through this legislation. If they did was the title clean or tainted?