Cyprus parliament proposes regular building inspections
Cyprus’s parliament is considering amendments to the Roads and Buildings Law that provide for regular technical inspections of real estate, similar to vehicle inspections. The initiative was discussed by the House of Representatives’ Interior Committee, Cyprus Mail reports.
The proposed system is intended to help identify structural defects and other risks before the condition of buildings deteriorates. The Association of Civil Engineers said that buildings are currently often not inspected after construction, while regular monitoring could improve their maintenance and reduce the number of properties later declared dangerous.
Inspections every five years
The Etek Technical Chamber supported the introduction of periodic inspections and proposed conducting them every five years. In its view, property owners should bear primary responsibility for obtaining a report on the property’s technical condition.
Cyprus’s Ministry of Interior supported the legislative initiative and allocated around €2 million to district local government organisations for the transitional period. Kyriakos Kouros, director of the ministry’s technical services, said the law should improve compliance and reduce the number of cases in which local authorities have to intervene because of the dangerous condition of structures.
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Fines and enforcement measures
The bill proposes expanding the authorities’ powers regarding owners who fail to remedy problems. Authorities would be able to evacuate people, repair, partially or completely demolish buildings, and prohibit access to them or their rental.
Owners who ignore such orders could have their water or electricity disconnected. Authorities would also be able to intervene directly, while fines could reach €40,000. The Ministry of Interior stressed that the primary obligation regarding dangerous buildings should remain with owners rather than be shifted to taxpayers.
In Nicosia, the district local government organisation is handling 1,495 cases: 711 properties have already been officially declared dangerous, 130 are being assessed for inclusion in the relevant register, and another 654 cases are under consideration. In Larnaca, 1,087 potentially dangerous structures were identified, of which 351 have already undergone visual inspections; the need for the necessary work there was estimated at approximately €7 million.
Aristos Damianou, chairman of the parliamentary Interior Committee and an Akel MP, said the initiative generally has the support of the involved bodies, although disagreements remain between the government and district organisations. The committee plans to submit the bill for plenary consideration no later than November.
