INTERIOR MINISTER Neoclis Sylikiotis has called for patience as the government attempts to sort out the morass surrounding the non-issuance of title deed within a reasonable period.
Sylikiotis was responding to a report in the Sunday Mail that said British buyers had managed to bring their case to the attention of the British House of Lords.
The average wait for title deeds in Cyprus is 10-15 years. There are around 100,000 homeowners still waiting, 30,000 of whom are foreigners.
British buyers in Cyprus recently began a campaign, writing directly to Prime Minister Gordon Brown and to their MPs expressing their worries.
Sylikiotis said it was not only British residents that were caught up in the title deeds issues but thousands of Cypriots and other foreigners.
“It’s not just about delays in issuing the deeds,” he said. “It also concerns issues of planning and mortgages to the banks.”
He said he had explained the problems to the Cyprus Property Action Group (CPAG), which initiated the campaign to involve the British government.
CPAG has said it had met with the Minister when the government changed this year but a report which had been complied by the group at the request of the previous government, has been sitting on a shelf for the past eight months or so with no feedback.
“Even if we (the state) have some responsibilities, people (who buy homes) cannot blindly be signing contracts under which you cannot receive your certificate of final approval so that the title deeds can be issued,” said Sylikiotis.
“What I said [to CPAG] is that the House is preparing legislation and we are in the final stages of that.”
Sylikiotis was referring to some developments that had been built without the necessary planning permission and which are not eligible for a certificate of completion. Giving an amnesty would free up developers to issue the title deeds sooner.
“We are also taking steps to expedite the screening process and the procedures at the Land Registry and other services,” the Minister added.
“We are on track and everyone should understand that these problems that go back for years cannot be solved as if my magic.”
