Squatters rights in Cyprus

[theassociate]

Hi Nigel

We own a property on a small development near Paphos. One of the properties on the development has been 'taken over' by a guy who has been living there with his girlfriend now rent free for 2 years and in addition paying no communal fees.

Recently he has had to return to the UK for a week or so and some of the other residents on the development have suggested that whilst he's away the committee should change the locks on his property.

Is this legal?

I should point out that the developer has long since gone bust and so has no interest in the property or the development.

Regards

The Associate

[Mike Strand]

Not sure whether the squatter has any rights, but I doubt that you & the other residents have any rights either to do as you suggest. It's not your property, any more than it is the squatters. Are they stealing electricity from the communal area (or from some other unsuspecting owner)? If so, call the police.

[theassociate]

As far as I'm aware Mike he is paying his electricity and water. I suspect they would have cut him off by now if he wasn't!

It's just rent and communal fees he avoids and thus has a very cheap living at the expense of the other owners!

Who owns the property is a moot point.

The developer has gone bust and the property occupied by the squatter was never sold.

The bank have made no moves to reposess it from the developer so ownership seems completely up in the air!

[Mike Strand]

I mentioned electricity because we had someone who had made a crude connection to the communal supply. Police were called but no action taken. Couldn't be bothered was how it came across!

[Pickles]

If they're stealing electricity it's the EAC you report it to, I know as we did it on our complex when we had the Timeshare lot squatting a few years back.

[Mike Strand]

The police would be interested if it was being stolen from the EAC (ie public supply) but as it was from the communal supply, that was a matter for the Residents committee, not them or the EAC!

[Pickles]

Trust me it's EAC who will act and deal with the police not the other way round!

[Mike Strand]

Trust me it's EAC who will act and deal with the police not the other way round!

I'm just relating my own experience.