Britons warned against buying properties in occupied north
Source: in-cyprus.com
British pensioners seeking retirement homes in Cyprus are being warned they could face legal action if they purchase properties in the Turkish-occupied north, where prices are up to 50% cheaper than in Republic of Cyprus-controlled areas, the Daily Express reported.
Cypriot officials caution that many properties being sold to unsuspecting buyers were not owned by the sellers, creating potential legal complications for purchasers.
Properties up to 50% cheaper but may belong to displaced owners
The warnings relate to properties in the north, which has been under Turkish military occupation since 1974 and are not recognised under international law.
Property prices in the occupied north are significantly lower than in the Republic of Cyprus, often 30-50% cheaper, due to higher development and tourism in the south and different currencies.
Republic of Cyprus prosecutes illegal property sales online
The Republic of Cyprus, where 1.3 million Britons holiday annually, is pursuing legal action against those illegally selling properties belonging to displaced Greek Cypriots. In May, two Hungarian women were jailed for advertising Greek properties online.
Four more people – a Ukrainian man, a German national and two Israelis – await trial on charges including advertising sales of Greek Cypriot properties and illegal possession.
Websites such as “Live and Invest Overseas” are promoting Kyrenia as “the tourism capital of North Cyprus” without mentioning the island’s division, the Daily Express reports. One video titled “8 Things You Should Know About Cyprus” omits the division entirely.
Menelaos Menelaou, Chief Negotiator for the Republic of Cyprus, warned British buyers against purchasing occupied properties. “They are going to a place where there is an occupation, an illegal occupation and an illegal regime that cannot produce any legal acts, including in the field of selling and buying of properties,” he said.
When asked whether British buyers could face court action, Menelaou replied: “If the lawful owner initiates legal proceedings, then they might find themselves in a situation of having to face legal consequences.”
He added that buyers cannot claim ignorance as a defence, noting they must verify the legal nature of property sales before purchasing.
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