Cyprus-Forum.com

[Kifeas]

http://www.justlanded.com/english/cyprus/tools/just_landed_guide/northern_cyprus/buying_property

Kifeas my point was that persons buying property in the north should do their researh just as anyone buying a property anywhere in the world should. I have just been on google for about 2 minutes and found the above link (too long to paste.)
I know this would have stopped and made me think about buying property in the north its not difficult to do your own homework is it

Richard, what is this link that you provided? This is a private website that has nothing to do with the British government. There are hundreds of such websites from the north that will tell you exactly the opposite of what this website says. I am talking about official British government websites, and not ones made by private organizations.

[RichardB]

http://www.justlanded.com/english/cyprus/tools/just_landed_guide/northern_cyprus/buying_property

Kifeas my point was that persons buying property in the north should do their researh just as anyone buying a property anywhere in the world should. I have just been on google for about 2 minutes and found the above link (too long to paste.)
I know this would have stopped and made me think about buying property in the north its not difficult to do your own homework is it

Richard, what is this link that you provided? This is a private website that has nothing to do with the British government. There are hundreds of such websites from the north that will tell you exactly the opposite of what this website says. I am talking about official British government websites, and not ones made by private organizations.

I was just trying to get over the point that with a little resarch of their own then people could quiet easily find out that it is not a good idea to buy property in the north. With or without advise from the British Government.
As i said before I agree with what you say re Government not giving enough advise.
But advise or not from Governments people should do their own resaerch

[Kifeas]

Read here:
British High Commission in Cyprus.
http://www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk ... 9607499833

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 purchasers would face legal proceedings in the courts of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as attempts to enforce judgments from the courts of the Republic of Cyprus elsewhere in the EU, including the UK.

Separately, potential purchasers should also ensure that they are fully aware of the specific rules imposed by the administration on foreigners purchasing property in the north including the requirement to obtain consent to the transfer of property.

Time share/property salespersons tout for business in Cyprus, especially in the Paphos area. You should read the fine print very carefully and seek legal advice before signing any kind of contract. Under Cyprus law you are entitled to a 15-day “cooling off” period during which, if you change your mind, you should receive a full refund of any money paid.

Do you think this is sufficient? Absolutely not!

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

What determines according to the British government an independed solicitor, is only not to have any relationship with the seller. This is nonsense! You can go to any TC solicitor in the north that has absolutely no relationship with the crook developer /seller, but still he will not give you a proper advice as to the international or RoC legality of the issue pertaining to the “buying” of GC property in the north, because the regime in which he lives and operates his legal firm doesn’t recognise international law base don which the RoC has the de jure sovereignty on the areas in which the “TRNC” claims to exist and make “laws.”

They even advertise a list of local lawyers in the north, in another section of their website, even though they claim they accept no responsibility for their services or advises, however they do exactly the same with the lists of GC lawyers in the south.

http://www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk ... 9976141306


Do you believe any of these TC lawyers operating in the north will tell a British national what exactly the international legality of the issue is regarding properties in the occupied north? How on earth a British national will determine who is an independed lawyer from whom he/she may obtain an accurate legal advice, if the only criterion that they advice them to follow is only not to be connected to the “seller!”

[RichardB]

No kifeas it is not sufficient and as you said in a previous post it is misleading.
So people must do their own research (spelt it right this time) What other way can they come to a decision over whether to buy or not.
Only by getting information from all sources can they make that decision.
I feel i'm going round in circles over this I agree entirely with what you say but the fact is uninformd people (not just brits) are buying property at very cheap prices in the north and they will eventually lose out when the rightful owners come looking and I certainly wont have any sympathy for them

[Kifeas]

No kifeas it is not sufficient and as you said in a previous post it is misleading.
So people must do their own research (spelt it right this time) What other way can they come to a decision over whether to buy or not.
Only by getting information from all sources can they make that decision.
I feel i'm going round in circles over this I agree entirely with what you say but the fact is uninformd people (not just brits) are buying property at very cheap prices in the north and they will eventually lose out when the rightful owners come looking and I certainly wont have any sympathy for them

I perfectly agree with you that they ought to make an all round and thorough research before deciding to commit such a large amount of money. However, this doesn’t alleviate the British government’s responsibility for contributing directly or indirectly to them being mislead due to a non sufficient or inadequate traveling advice.

[Kifeas]

I mean, some of the things they mention in their above traveling advice are indeed outrageous! They start the second paragraph by saying that “Property issues are closely linked to the political situation.” No regard or mention about international law or human rights principles as they are established in the relevant protocols of the CoE (governing body of the ECHRs,) and of whom (CoE) the British government is a founding member. Who gave the British government the right to assume and /or rule out (in advance) that the property rights of anyone, anywhere in Europe or in the world, can in theory be the legitimate subject to a political dispute? The property rights of people are a fundamental human right that in theory and under international law, cannot be subject to a political situation or dispute and /or its solution. They are by themeselves a separate legal issue, otherwise the ECHR wouldn't have the right to adopt the Loizidou decision. It is one thing to say that within the context of a comprehensive political settlement, the two sides may agree to regulate the property issue on political terms (if they agree such a thing,) and another thing to claim in advance that the issue has to be regulated only by a political agreement, brushing aside the fact that until such a political agreement is reached (if it will in fact on the issue of properties be solved through a political agreement, and not for example through court decisions, etc,) what counts is what the law (national or international) says at the given moment. And national and international law and human rights protocols and ECHR court decisions say that only the GCs are the legal owners of their properties in the north, something which the above travelling advise fails to address and /or clarify, misleading instead that the whole issue is basically a political one, and not a legal one, foremost and at the same time.

I mean, now that I look at it, I may consider suing the British government my self for making such a false and legally invalid allegation, namely that my property rights in the north as an individual are only a matter of a mere political dispute ("closely linked,") outside the letter and the spirit of currently existing international legality.

[RichardB]

Just out of interest kifeas we have concentrated on the British buying property in the North (and I do realise that they are the vast majority) But other nationalities are also purchasing.
Are other Governments issuing any warnings?
What about persons from non EU countries where would they stand?

[Kifeas]

Just out of interest kifeas we have concentrated on the British buying property in the North (and I do realise that they are the vast majority) But other nationalities are also purchasing.
Are other Governments issuing any warnings?
What about persons from non EU countries where would they stand?

Other EU countries have much more clear cut traveling advices that put the issue on its full and proper dimension. I am aware of the French and the Spanish ones. In theory everyone is liable, provided that someone may find their names and full details, since they can be taken to court and based on that also have an arrest warrant issued through Interpol. In practice though, it is not as easy and simple.

[Jerry]

Anyone who reads the UK Government advice should smell a rat. I would ask my own UK solicitor to direct me towards independent advice not a solicitor who probably deals in stolen property himself. I know of two Brits who are seriously thinking to buy in the north despite all the advice and info I have given them (I have directed them to sites like this etc). One of them is going out in the autumn to take a look. A mutual friend has bought in the ROC but these "friends" are attracted by the price, they think they will get a bargain and don't care if it is stolen land. I have given up advising them, I told them to at least wait until Orams judgement but they are going regardless. I hope they get stitched up!

[Hazza]

What kind of friend are you to them Jerry if you hope they get stitched up?