The Department of Land and Surveys of Cyprus is going to upgrade its registers and "tie" each object to the owner by an identification number. The updates are planned for 2023.
According to the Department's head Elikkos Elia, the upgrade will raise the level of transparency in the industry and solve the problem of fake documents. The situation in the field of real estate register in Cyprus today is quite complicated, since the land registry was established in 1858, when many residents of the island did not even have identity cards. In addition, until the digitalization of the registry, which occurred in 1999, many properties were not "tied" to the owners by identification numbers.
The department asked property owners not to worry about implementing the new system, stressing that the measures were part of a broader campaign to make the industry digital.
“Implementing a unique identification number protects owners and dispels any doubt as to who owns what, while it will also smooth out the process of transactions,” Elia explained.
Owners will be able to check the binding of their property through the Department's website. If the identifier of the owner will not be displayed, the necessary changes can be made by contacting the department through a special online form without paying any fees.