Nicosia, Cyprus. The government has terminated more than 300 rental contracts for abandoned Turkish Cypriot properties after an audit found tenants were violating their terms. The findings were published by Politis.
Audit findings on commercial property contracts
The audit examined 4,032 rental contracts for commercial properties and found violations of terms in 590 cases. In 146 cases, tenants later began to comply, while 280 contracts were terminated.
Municipal contracts
Auditors examined 275 contracts signed by municipalities and found 31 violations of terms. After the audit, municipalities began complying in 13 cases, 13 warning letters were sent, and five contracts were terminated.
Village council contracts
A total of 589 contracts signed by village councils were examined, with 47 violations found. In 12 cases, full compliance was reached, 32 warning letters were sent, and three contracts were terminated.
Residential properties and eviction proceedings
Contracts relating to 91 residential properties were examined, with 31 violations found and warning letters sent. In six cases, proceedings have been initiated for tenants to be evicted.
Legal changes and government position
The audit follows a change in the law governing the use of abandoned Turkish Cypriot properties last year, with the government now allocating properties based on a set list of criteria and a points system and removing the interior minister’s discretionary power to take unilateral decisions. Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said the change was a “decisive step in the effort for the rational management of Turkish Cypriot properties,” noting that Turkish Cypriot-owned land accounts for 10.14 per cent of the Republic’s total.
What do you think the audit findings indicate about compliance with rental terms for these properties?
