Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou recently highlighted significant strides in the examination and issuance of property Title Deeds, aiming to reduce the average processing time from one to three years down to just three months.
Speaking at a seminar organised by the Pan-Cyprian Association of Land Development and Construction Entrepreneurs, Ioannou emphasised the government’s dedication to creating favourable conditions for development, a commitment articulated since June 2023.
Efforts to expedite the issuance of Title Deeds involve simplifying procedures at the Department of Lands and Surveys and the Department of Town Planning and Housing. Ioannou underscored ongoing endeavours to streamline urban and spatial planning, aiming to enhance citizen service and bolster development prospects.
Acknowledging past delays, Ioannou outlined objectives to introduce more flexible and expedited procedures, eliminating unnecessary delays and inconveniences. The goal is to ensure that the completion of title issuance processes is swift and efficient.
A key change proposed to enhance the issuance of Title Deeds is the new procedure concerning applications for parcel division to create new property titles. Effective January 2, 2024, this change prioritises pre-defined external demarcation and surveying work for developments, ensuring that applications are submitted fully and correctly completed for expedited evaluation.
Ioannou emphasised the pre-defined completion of external demarcation before parcel division, ensuring that future developments align within the real boundaries of the properties’ plots, avoiding disputes among property owners.
Furthermore, recent measures include the implementation of private licensed surveyors as the sole option for conducting required surveying work for parcel division. This allows property owners to engage directly with their chosen private surveyor, relieving departmental personnel and reducing significant delays.
With these changes, Ioannou expressed confidence that property owners will experience a substantial reduction in processing time for applications and, ultimately, the issuance of Title Deeds. The government’s commitment to improving efficiency in property transactions underscores its dedication to facilitating growth and development in Cyprus.
Source: Cyprus Property News