HOMEOWNERS at a stricken development in Armou in Paphos were dealt another blow yesterday as they were informed that electricity supplies to their homes were due to be switched off.
The news comes a day after official notices were placed on the substandard homes that they were unfit to live in.
Louise Zambartas, lawyer for one of the homeowners, Simon Phillips, told the Cyprus Mail that the Paphos District office had confirmed that the Cyprus Electricity Authority (EAC) would be cutting off the power supply to all of the homes, making it impossible for the families to remain there.
Resident Simon Phillips told the Cyprus Mail: “We have nowhere else to go, my two children are terrified that we won’t have a roof over our heads and even if we wanted to stay in our home, we will no longer be able to do that as we won’t have any electricity.”
Phillips and his wife Jen are permanent residents and bought their house outright. They don’t have the money to move. With Christmas looming, the family now faces the prospect of homelessness.
“We don’t pay a mortgage or rent and so these expenses are not factored into our earnings,” Phillips said. “It would be impossible for us to pay for somewhere to live but somehow, we have to ensure we have a home for our two young children. Nobody should have to go through what we all have to suffer. I keep hoping I will wake up and it will have all been a bad dream.”
Zambartas said: “The district office hasn’t said if they will help to re-home the Phillips family or not. As instructed by them, we have written a letter to the man who signed the notices requesting assistance for the Phillips family. This is a dreadful situation for our client and his family.”
The homeowners were left in a state of shock and confusion on Tuesday after a representative of the Paphos district office placed notices on all of the houses informing them that they were unfit to live in. The notice states the decree shall remain in force until such time as repair works deemed necessary by the District Officer are carried out.
All of the houses, which were only built in 2004, have serious structural problems, from slanting floors, to the partial collapse of stairs, walls, swimming pools and patio areas. Outside drains are exposed in one garden and retaining walls have split.
It certainly would Costas.
With the present state of the banks one would have to be concerned that if your policy was with them they would actually pay out on a major claim. They may not even have the money to do so.
What a terrible situation for these poor people. We hear nothing about the developer who built these unsafe villas. Where is he? What will happen to him? Anything? He, as well as those in the Planning Dept. MUST have known they should not have built where they did. Instead of treating the unsuspecting buyers of these properties as though their lives are of no importance (the usual Cypriot arrogance!) the authorities should be chasing the developer, planning Dept and anyone else involved in this criminal affair, freezing their assets and putting them away for a very long time.
andyp, it would be very interesting for people to know just which insurance companies are involved in this situation, and how they have performed, before they choose where to source their future insurance.
Our bank is not very happy with us because our property insurance was sourced in the UK and is underwritten by Lloyds of London. (That very small concern.)
The Bank wanted us to insure with a Cypriot based company because they had more confidence in their support should something go wrong.
Like I said, it would be very interesting to know which insurer(s) are involved and how they have performed.
Where are the insurance company in all this?
Should they not simply be paying out or are we all needing to check our policies to discover that we are paying for cover that we don’t have?
Pete, what you say rings very true with many people.
Perhaps all those who seemingly cannot get hold of the Developer should take a camera to the very same spot as you did, where apparently, the Developer will present himself, large as life!
Maybe he could then give his version of events for publication?
That is if his comments were suitable for publication, of course!
I feel so sorry for all the owners of these properties.
What I have come to understand is that the land was not fit for purpose for this development.
There are so many empty properties in the Paphos area and I hope the owners can be rehoused.
There is a large development at Tremithousa overlooking the road to Tala. I was there the other evening hoping to take some sunset photos.
I was confronted by a guy and told not to take photos in this area, he made it very clear that the English were no longer welcome in Cyprus and it was the Chinese who were going to save Cyprus. Five minutes later I was confronted by the developer and was told because I was taking photos it was suspected that I had intentions of robbing the properties.. Twelve years owning a property in Tala and the decline is evident. I am fortunate to have sold. Ten years to secure my title deed.
Some people enjoy Cyprus, a lot just want to get out.
Maybe one day the Cypriots will wake up and smell the coffee,get real pay their taxes, stop ripping everyone off and realise they have a beautiful country. I could have stayed but glad I am away from it all the greed, corruption and a system that does not work.
I feel for the families caught in this mess.
It will be interesting to see if the Cypriot authorities give help to the permanent residence (EU Citizens) of this development now they have made it impossible for them to live in their homes.
I wont hold my breath.
If it where in UK they would get another home……