Cyprus-Forum.com

[sweetie pie]

I don't believe that any Brit that bought property in the north was not aware of the political situation on the island or the dangers of buying a property that had no legal deeds.
The first thing that anybody that looks to buy a property abroad do is to find out as much as he/she can about the political situation, way of life, people of the particular country. Any suggestion that these people and in particular Brits did not know about the political situation in Cyprus is just lame excuses. For gods sake, they were buying a property and not a box of matches, they must have done their research. There is so much info on the net and the media about Cyprus that there is no way of somebody being kept in the dark.
The truth is that the people that bought properties in the north knew very well about what they were buying, about the political situation on the island and that there is no recognised country with the name "trnc" but still chose to buy because it was cheap. This is nothing different from buying a stolen watch from a thief just because the asking price is just a fraction of what it is actually worth.

So please no more excuses, these people are just part of the crime being committed and equaly guilty. Let the courts decide their fate.

Not necessarily true. I personally know of one couple who went to an exhibition in the UK and bought a spanish villa without even having been to Spain. Foolish certainly, well researched most definitely not.

I certainly wouldn't have done it but people do. They are reassured by the agents that everything is fine and that if they have heard of any troubles its all been taken care of. Believe me this happens

[Pyrpolizer]

I am talking for the specific property ownership right which is a fundamental right both for EU and the UN. Any solution that violates that right cannot stand !

The fact is BOTH the UN and EU supported the Annan Plan, you lot didn’t, get over it. The Un & EU were happy with the ownership rights and obviously felt that the Annan solution didn’t violate any rights, otherwise they would not have supported it, why is it so very hard for you to get that little fact into your brain area, is it because there is something lacking up there?

So tell me how many EU members and how many UN members voted YES for the Annan Plan? How many of them said they would be glad to apply it in their own Country?

And most important of all how many said it didn't violate any rights?

[miltiades]

Miltiades wrote

The Brits have been ripped of for years now in Spain with time share scams , most are naive and regardless of how many times warnings are given they still go ahead and get taken to the cleaners.
For your information the Chanel 4 presented was not quoting Foreign office warnings but commenting on the pit falls in purchasing disputed land in Turkish occupied Cyprus , words that he used to describe North Cyprus.
All on the forum know me as a staunch supporter of Britain and the West , and also know that I'm British and fly the flag , when however criticism is due , then I , just like you , voice my opinions. There are many many Brits that are utterly ignorant of world events and none more so than those investing their hard earned money in an area considered internationally as Occupied by Turkey. The question of deed legitimacy seems not to concern them , they are what I described earlier suckers

Miltiades

I dont want to get into a disagreement or arguement with you, I have too much respect for what you write and your opinions to do so. You are one of the few Cypriots who just want to be Cypriot not Turkish or Greek.

What the Andrew Oliver said was that he advised against buying a property given the "political uncertaintity" in the North. He also went to say that the authorities in the South viewed such transactions as illegal and had in the past arrested people. Here is what the foreign office website says

Purchasing Property

Before purchasing property anywhere in Cyprus you are strongly advised to seek qualified legal advice from a source that is independent from the seller.

Property issues are closely linked to the political situation. There are a number of potential practical, financial and legal implications, particularly for those considering buying property in the north. These relate to the non-recognition of the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", the suspension of EU law in northern Cyprus, the possible consequences for property of a future settlement, and the many thousands of claims to ownership from people displaced in 1974. There is also a risk that, as a result of the disputed ownership of many of the properties, purchasers could face legal proceedings in the courts of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as attempts to enforce judgments from these courts elsewhere in the EU, including the UK

I think you will see that they are almost the same thing.

The presenter did however go on to say that he advise people not to buy in Northern Cyprus due to the political climate. It was very little to do with the shoddy builders or sharp practices. He made it sound simple to the couple that all they had to do was take the builder to court and get their money back. If only it was that simple

Stubalstu , I missed your above response earlier , frankly I think that anyone wanting to invest in the "TRNC" ought to seriously consider the statement made that you also reposted "Property issues are closely linked to the political situation. There are a number of potential practical, financial and legal implications, particularly for those considering buying property in the north. These relate to the non-recognition of the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", the suspension of EU law in northern Cyprus, the possible consequences for property of a future settlement, and the many thousands of claims to ownership from people displaced in 1974. There is also a risk that, as a result of the disputed ownership of many of the properties, purchasers could face legal proceedings in the courts of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as attempts to enforce judgments from these courts elsewhere in the EU, including the UK "

It clearly states fundamental negative reasons for anyone with any brain to take note off . It states the Non - Recognition issue , the suspension of EU law , possible consequences in the future as a result of a settlement , the fact that purchasers could face legal action in an EU member nation
all these are serious warnings and you can not simply dismiss them or compare to property problems anywhere else in Europe , because anywhere else in Europe falls within the legal framework of a legal and recognised country , not one that is under foreign occupation. The difference here is monumental , no comparison can be sustained and to simply suggest that the warnings were equally applicable to other parts of the world are fallacy.

Hence I return to my earlier post , that a sucker is born every minute .