Thousands of jointly-owned buildings residents remain effectively unprotected as long-standing problems persist, while the long-awaited revision of the legislative framework governing jointly-owned buildings faces yet another delay.
The proposed bill aims to comprehensively regulate the management of jointly-owned buildings, but progress has once again stalled.
For the second time in around eighteen months, the Parliamentary Committee on Interior Affairs halted a scheduled discussion after the two key stakeholders, the Interior Ministry and the District Local Government Organisations (DLGOs), failed to reach agreement on fundamental aspects of the proposed legislation.
The meeting had been set to continue the debate in principle on the bill establishing a new legal framework for the management of jointly-owned buildings. A similar postponement occurred months earlier, when the committee granted both sides additional time to resolve their differences.
Committee chair and AKEL MP Aristos Damianou struck a firm tone, warning that no further meetings would be scheduled unless an agreed text is formally submitted to Parliament.
“I will not play the game of extension after extension,” he said, stressing that this was the second postponement intended to facilitate dialogue between the two sides.
Further work still pending
Earlier, DLGO president Constantinos Yiorkadjis informed the committee in writing that additional time is required before they can take a definitive position on the bill.
He noted that a financial impact study requested from the Department of Lands and Surveys was completed and forwarded to the DLGOs in December 2025. However, analysis of the data and the projected income and expenditure of the proposed new service is still pending. This will be followed by internal consultation among the DLGOs and then further discussions with the Ministry of Interior.
According to Mr Yiorkadjis, the lack of organisational structure, the need to secure new premises, and the scale of preparatory work, including software systems, workflow design, process automation, transfer of physical files, and procurement of IT equipment, make a transitional period essential should the DLGOs assume responsibility for managing jointly-owned buildings.
Responsibilities for Jointly-owned buildings
Under the proposed legislation, the DLGOs would take on a central role in implementation. Their responsibilities would include registering and supervising management committees of jointly-owned buildings, maintaining a dedicated registry, resolving disputes between co-owners, and imposing administrative fines on management committees or individual owners where necessary.
These expanded powers remain a major point of contention and have prompted the bill’s return to the Ministry of Interior for further revision.
According to data from the Department of Lands and Surveys submitted to Parliament, Cyprus is estimated to have around 30,000 jointly owned-buildings, representing approximately 200,000 residential units.
The existing legal framework governing the registration and management of jointly-owned buildings is widely regarded as ineffective. This has resulted in long-standing operational problems that undermine their proper functioning, which directly affects the quality of life of their residents.
Funding for dangerous buildings unresolved
Mr Yiorkadjis also highlighted that the issue of cost-recovery fees for dangerous buildings remains unresolved. He warned that DLGOs are being asked to deliver a critical public service without a permanent solution for sustainable funding.
He stressed that before any final decision is taken, the cost of providing these services must be fully calculated and, crucially, secured through appropriate financing mechanisms.
Mr Damianou concluded by calling for the financial study prepared by the Department of Lands and Surveys to be formally submitted to the committee without further delay.
How big is the problem?
Cyprus has a total of 20,919 jointly-owned buildings comprising 219,635 residential units, according to the Department of Lands and Surveys.
Of these, 14,208 buildings are registered, accounting for 159,659 units (mainly apartments), while a further 6,711 buildings remain unregistered, involving 59,976 units.
Nicosia has the highest number of jointly-owned developments, with 4,927 registered buildings with 53,553 residential units. It also leads in unregistered stock, with 2,297 buildings and 19,688 units.
Larnaca has the smallest share, with 898 registered buildings (9,895 units) and 758 unregistered developments (6,865 units). Overall, Nicosia alone accounts for 7,224 jointly-owned buildings and 73,241 residential units, compared with Famagusta’s 1,832 buildings and 19,266 units.
The original draft legislation envisaged the creation of a Registration Council to oversee matters relating to jointly-owned building management, but this approach was rejected by the Interior Ministry, which assigned the responsibility to District Local Government Organisations (DLGOs).
However, the DLGOs did not take part in drafting the bill or in the public consultation process, as the legislation had been prepared before they were established. They were first invited to Parliament to discuss the issue on 25 November 2024, while no DLGOs were present when the bill was examined at the Interior Committee session on 25 September 2025.
So there are 60,000 “unregistered” apartments ie. with no title deeds, am I understanding this correctly?
According to the Department of Lands and Surveys, Cyprus has 6,711 unregistered jointly-owned buildings representing 59,976 units. (The units are predominantly apartments, but also include semis, detached, terraced houses, shops, etc. None will have Title Deeds.)