Cyprus is moving to address the longstanding issues of apartment building management through new legislation, as thousands of citizens living in such properties face challenges due to inadequate regulations and poor enforcement of existing laws.
Parliamentary Interior Committee chairman Aristos Damianou announced that the bill’s examination will proceed swiftly, with discussions involving all relevant government departments and organisations having begun yesterday.
The proposed legislation aims to end the current state of disorder that causes constant friction between property owners and leaves thousands of buildings poorly maintained.
A key innovation of the bill grants management committees the authority to undertake reasonably necessary expenses for maintaining common areas when owners neglect their financial obligations.
The Interior Ministry notes that the bill expands the responsibilities and powers of management committees, which will become mandatory for all jointly owned buildings and will operate according to standard or internal regulations.
Key provisions of the legislation include:
- Establishment of a Registration Service for Jointly Owned Buildings and Management Committee Supervision
- Mandatory registration of buildings and management committees
- Implementation of standard internal regulations
- Compulsory insurance requirements
- Clear definition of unit owners’ rights and obligations
The bill extends beyond registered buildings to include all jointly owned buildings with construction and division permits, regardless of whether they have obtained approval certificates or separate property titles.
The legislation addresses critical issues such as non-payment of common expenses, insurance requirements, and building damage, responding to concerns raised by the Land Registry Department about weaknesses in current management practices and risks to safety.
The Department of Lands and Surveys notes that the new framework aims to streamline its responsibilities to focus solely on possession and registration matters, given the increasing workload in this sector.
