A highly anticipated bill from Cyprus’ Interior Ministry that aims to resolve longstanding practical and legal issues surrounding the management, operation, and supervision of jointly owned buildings, is currently under scrutiny. Appartment blocks and housing complexes where, it is estimated, over 50% of the population resides, that is.
The proposed legislation is considered urgent due to a growing number of problems such as the absence of management committees, mismanagement by private companies, unpaid communal fees, lack of insurance, and building deterioration caused by disputes among owners. Many complexes are now in a state of neglect.
According to the registry of the Department of Lands and Surveys, there are 30,000 jointly owned buildings throughout Cyprus, which concern a total of approximately 200,000 residential units. In Nicosia, there are 9,000 to 10,500 jointly owned buildings, corresponding to 60,000 - 70,000 residential units.
Initially, a dedicated Registration Council was proposed to handle such matters, but the Ministry rejected that idea and opted instead to transfer the responsibility to Local Authorities. However, following the local government reform, the task was passed to the newly established District Local Government Organisations (ΕΟΑ).
Despite objections, the revised bill was presented to the Parliamentary Committee on Interior on September 25, 2025, without inviting the ΕΟΑs to participate.
The ΕΟΑs strongly oppose this move. They cite lack of resources, insufficient consultation, and unsustainable administrative burdens. In a letter to the competent Minister, dated October 7, 2025, the Nicosia ΕΟΑ president, Constantinos Yiorkadjis, on behalf of all EOA presidents, stressed that this complex responsibility does not align with their legal role and would require entirely new departments, staffing, and infrastructure. They also criticised the proposed fees as inadequate to cover costs.
Minister of Interior, Constantinos Ioannou, has called for a meeting with ΕΟΑ presidents on November 3, 2025, to seek a resolution.