Buying a property is one of the biggest financial decisions most people will make. It is therefore reasonable for buyers to want to know who they are dealing with, whether that professional meets clear standards, and whether they operate within a robust system of oversight and accountability.

This is the regulatory gap that the Cyprus Property Developers Association (CPDA) seeks to address through the formal recognition and regulation of the land development profession.

This does not mean property development currently takes place without rules. A development project is already subject to a wide range of planning, building, environmental and other legal and regulatory requirements.

What is missing is a specific and unified framework governing the professional activity of the land developer itself. This would establish who can practise, what requirements they must meet, how they are supervised and how they are held accountable.

Filling this gap is an important next step for a property market that has changed significantly. Buyers’ expectations are higher, while the responsibilities placed on property professionals have also grown.

What is being proposed?

At the heart of the CPDA’s proposal is a registration and oversight system for individuals and companies professionally involved in land development for commercial purposes.

A central role would be given to a proposed Registration and Control Council for Land and Building Developers. Among its responsibilities would be maintaining an official register and overseeing registered professionals.

Registration criteria would be objective, transparent and proportionate to the nature and responsibilities of the profession. The aim is not to create a closed profession. Instead, it is to establish a common and reasonable standard of professional competence and responsibility across the market.

The criteria would include the structure, staffing and operational capacity of businesses. They would also cover cooperation with registered consultants, technical competence and proven professional experience.

Common rules can also benefit developers themselves. They can protect businesses that operate responsibly, promote fair competition and help raise the credibility of the property sector as a whole.

The proposed status of probationary member would also keep the profession open to new entrants. Those without enough experience for full registration would be able to enter the sector and gain the required experience before securing full registration.

Buyer protection at the heart of the proposal

A key objective of the Association’s initiative is to strengthen buyer protection.

An official register would allow buyers to check whether the professional they are dealing with is registered, meets defined criteria and operates under clear rules and obligations.

This would give buyers an additional layer of security and information during a transaction that, for most people, represents one of the most important financial decisions of their lives.

Protection, however, should not stop at registration. The proposed framework would provide for ongoing supervision of registered professionals, clear rules on professional conduct and a process for submitting and investigating complaints.

Where breaches are identified, the framework would also allow for the relevant sanctions to be imposed.

This would create a clear system of accountability. Buyers would not only know who they are dealing with, but also where to turn if a problem arises.

That added protection could strengthen buyers’ rights while helping to build greater trust and confidence across the property market.

From proposal to legislation

The push to regulate the land development profession began in 2025. The Association of Property Developers then prepared a draft bill following consultation with relevant stakeholders and with support from its legal advisers.

The draft was submitted to the Interior Minister in May 2025. A dedicated working group was subsequently established, bringing together officials from the Department of Lands and Surveys and representatives of the Association.

The working group held a series of meetings to examine and improve the proposed framework. The draft legislation was then forwarded to the Law Office for legal and technical review.

The next step is now to complete the process without further delay. The aim is for the bill to be submitted to the House of Representatives, where parliamentary scrutiny can begin.

For the Association, this would be the key step in turning the proposal into a modern, practical and workable legal framework.

A reform aimed at greater confidence

Formal recognition of the profession would represent a significant reform for the property market. It could help improve standards, strengthen confidence and support the orderly development of the sector.

The objective is not to create more bureaucracy. It is to establish clear rules, higher professional standards and effective oversight.

Ultimately, the goal is straightforward: greater security for property buyers within an open, competitive and trusted market.

By Mersina Isidorou, Director General, Association of Property Developers

(Translated from a press release published by the Cyprus Property Developers Association)