Cyprus buyers stage protest at overseas property show

A group of British property buyers who believe they have been defrauded or mis-sold property in Cyprus staged a protest outside the ‘A Place in the Sun Live’ overseas property exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham.

VISITORS to the ‘A Place in the Sun Live’ exhibition at Birmingham’s NEC were greeted by a group of protesters who were raising awareness and distributing leaflets on the potential problems associated with buying property on the island of Cyprus.

Many of the protesters believe they have been defrauded or mis-sold property and are taking advice from their lawyers on possible legal remedies.

Some of the exhibitors complained that the protesters were damaging their business and demanded that they be removed, but the police turned them away and made sure there were no problems.

‘A Place in the Sun Live’ claims to be “the UK’s biggest and best-attended overseas property exhibition” and is organised in conjunction with the popular Channel Four television programme, which attracts millions of viewers each week. The exhibition, which ended on Sunday, attracted 4,076 visitors.

By: Nigel Howarth Tuesday 4th October 2011
To read comments on this article from expats in Cyprus see the Cyprus Property News

Cyprus protesters at overseas property exhibition

British home buyer Conor O’Dwyer supported by members of the Alpha Panareti Owners Group staged a protest outside ‘A Place in the Sun Live’ overseas property exhibition at Earls Court in London.

Conor O’Dwyer & Alpha Panareti Owners Group members outside ‘A Place in the Sun Live’ overseas property exhibition at Earls Court
Conor O’Dwyer & Alpha Panareti Owners Group members outside ‘A Place in the Sun Live’ overseas property exhibition at Earls Court

BRITISH property buyer Conor O’Dwyer staged a protest outside ‘A Place in the Sun Live’ overseas property exhibition at Earls Court accompanied by members of the Alpha Panareti Owners Group, in a move that could cause further damage to the Island’s beleaguered property industry.

O’Dwyer told Cyprus Property News last week that he planned to protest outside the exhibition. He said that he would be raising awareness of the pitfalls of buying property in southern Cyprus and distributing leaflets warning people about the problems that he, and others, have encountered.

The thousands of visitor who flocked to the exhibition were greeted with placards reading ‘Shame on Cyprus’ and ‘Cyprus Island of fraud’ along with others naming a specific bank and property developer.

Members from the Alpha Panareti Owners Group joined Mr O’Dwyer in his protest. Many of these believe that they have been mis-sold property and are taking advice from their lawyers on possible legal remedies.

‘A Place in the Sun Live’ claims to be “the UK’s biggest and best-attended overseas property exhibition” and is organised in conjunction with the popular Channel Four television programme, which attracts millions of viewers each week. The exhibition ends today.

The protest caused some unrest amongst exhibitors, which included a number of property developers from Cyprus, but the police were on hand to ensure there were no problems and that everything remained calm.

By: Nigel Howarth Published: Sunday 13th March 2011

To see comments from British expats read this article in the Cyprus Property News
Copyright © Cyprus Property News

Brit at centre of dispute arrested charged and freed

Conor O’Dwyer was detained as he tried to leave the Paralimni court last Friday and was later arrested, handcuffed and taken to the police station where he was charged with public insult and later released.

CONOR O’Dwyer, the Brit at the centre of a five year legal battle with Cypriot developer Christoforos Karayiannas & Son Ltd was detained and later arrested by the police as he left the Paralimni court last Friday.

Mr O’Dwyer was in court to hear Attorney-General Petros Clerides decision that he had dropped the criminal case against him for documenting details of his ongoing property dispute with Karayiannis on the Internet.

But two police officers prevented O’Dwyer from leaving the courtroom after the hearing and he was taken to a holding area in the court. He was subsequently arrested and driven to the police station in handcuffs where he was charged with public insult and later released.

Earlier in the week O’Dwyer and his wife Michaela had been filming in Cyprus with a crew from the national ITV network for their prime-time series “Homes From Hell” due to be transmitted later this year.

Conor & Michaela O'Dwyer with an ITV film crew outside the Paralimni office of Cyprus property developer Christoforos Karayiannas & Son Ltd
Conor & Michaela O’Dwyer with an ITV film crew outside the Paralimni office of Cyprus property developer Christoforos Karayiannas & Son Ltd

The charges arose from an incident on Thursday outside Karayiannas’ office in Paralimni where ITV had been filming the couple holding a banner (see photograph) containing the words “Karayiannas are Criminals”.

In October, the Paralimni Court found Christoforos Karayiannas, his son Marios and Charalambos Ttigis guilty on criminal charges relating to their assault on Mr O’Dwyer in 2008.

By: Nigel Howarth Published: Sunday 20th February 2011
To see comments from British expats read this article in the Cyprus Property News
Copyright © Cyprus Property News

My false arrest in Cyprus: 18-02-2011

Τ Η Λ Ε Ο Μ Ο Ι Ο Τ Υ Π Ο
ΗΜΕΡ.: 18 Φεβρουαρίου 2011

ΑΠΟ: ΓΕΩΡΓΙΑΔΗΣ & ΜΥΛΩΝΑΣ

ΦΑΞ: 22778444

ΠΡΟΣ: ΓΕΝΙΚΟ ΕΙΣΑΓΓΕΛΕΑ ΤΗΣ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑΣ
ΚΟΝ ΠΕΤΡΟ ΚΛΗΡΙΔΗ
Προσοχή κα Πολίνα Ευθυβούλου

ΦΑΞ: 22665080

ΑΡ. ΣΕΛΙΔΩΝ: (Συμπεριλαμβανομένης και αυτής) 3

Αγαπητέ συνάδελφε,

ΘΕΜΑ: CORNELIUS O’DWYER

Αναφέρομαι στο πιο πάνω θέμα και περαιτέρω τηλεφωνικής μας επικοινωνίας σε ενημερώνω και γραπτώς τα πιο κάτω:

Μετά λύπης μου αναγκάζομε να καταγγείλω ένα περιστατικό που δεν τιμά την χώρα μας, σε σχέση με τον πελάτη μου κον Conrelius O’Dwyer και την συμπεριφορά των αστυνομικών με αρ.963, 2961, 5270 και 273 καθώς επίσης και άλλων αστυνομικών που συμμετείχαν στο πιο πάνω περιστατικό, τα στοιχεία των οποίων δεν έχω τώρα στην κατοχή μου.

Ο πελάτης μου μετά την απόφαση σας να αναστείλετε την ποινική δίωξη εναντίον του στην υπόθεση του Δικαστηρίου Παραλιμνίου με αριθμό 793/2010, έμεινε απόλυτος ικανοποιημένος με την Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία και αποφάσισε να επικεντρώσει τις διαμαρτυρίες του εναντίον της Εταιρείας από την οποία αγόρασε το σπίτι του και αυτών που καταδικάστηκαν για τον ξυλοδαρμό του, δηλαδή τους κ.κ. Μάριο και Χριστόφορο Καραγιαννά.

Χτες διεξάχθηκε ειρηνική διαμαρτυρία έξω από το γραφείο της Εταιρείας Καραγιαννάς, μετά που ενημερώθηκε σχετικά το Αρχηγείο Αστυνομίας και ο Αστυνομικός Διευθυντής της περιοχής και το θέμα καλύφθηκε από τον γνωστό σταθμό ITV. (Επισυνάπτω σχετική επιστολή που έχει σταλεί στο Αρχηγείο). Κατά την διάρκεια της διαμαρτυρίας μια ομάδα αστυνομικών προσήλθε στον χώρο και προσπάθησε να μετακινήσει τον πελάτη μου, χωρίς επιτυχία.

Η συμπεριφορά των αστυνομικών σύμφωνα με τους παρευρισκομένους, δεν ήταν πρέπουσα και όλα είχαν βιντεογραφηθεί από τον εν λόγω σταθμό.

Σημειώστε ότι ο πελάτης μου απλά στεκόταν με την σύζυγο του με ένα πανό που έγγραφε πάνω “Karayiannas are criminals”, τίποτα άλλο δεν έκανε.

Οι αστυνομικοί του είπαν ότι διαπράττει αδίκημα χωρίς να τον ενημερώσουν για ποιο αδίκημα μιλούν. Αυτός τους ανέφερε ότι οι Καραγιαννάδες είναι πράγματι εγκληματίες επειδή καταδικάστηκαν από το Δικαστήριο για τον ξυλοδαρμό του, αλλά οι αστυνομικοί επέμεναν ότι οι Καραγιαννάδες δεν είχαν καταδικαστεί.

Σήμερα όταν πήγε στο Δικαστήριο Παραλιμνίου με την σύζυγο του, για να ανασταλεί η υπόθεση με αρ.793/2010 μαζεύτηκαν αρκετοί αστυνομικοί, οι οποίοι τον απόκλεισαν από το να φύγει από τον χώρο του Δικαστηρίου, δεν τον παρουσίασαν ένταλμα σύλληψης και όταν προσπάθησε να βγει από το κτήριο, ενώ μου μιλούσε στο τηλέφωνο, άρχισαν να του φωνάζουν, να τον σπρώχνουν και τον έβαλαν στο κελί, χωρίς να τον πληροφορήσουν για λόγους που του στέρησαν την ελευθερία του.

Όταν μίλησα με τον αστυνομικό 963 πριν τον οδηγήσαν στο κελί, μου είπε ότι δεν είχαν εκείνη την ώρα ένταλμα σύλληψης, αλλά τον κρατούν μέχρι να εκδώσουν το ένταλμα.

Είναι λυπηρό ένας ξένος που ήρθε στην χώρα μας για να επενδύσει και του οποίου κατακράτησαν τα λεφτά χωρίς να του δώσουν το σπίτι που αγόρασε, τον κτύπησαν δύο φορές να δέχεται τέτοιου είδους αντιμετώπιση από τους αστυνομικούς της περιοχής στο Παραλίμνι.

Σημείωστε ότι όταν έκανε ανάλογη διαμαρτυρία 2 φορές έξω από το Προεδρικό Μέγαρο, η συμπεριφορά των αστυνομικών ήταν άψογη, κάτι που αναγνώρισε ο πελάτης μου και είχε και σχετική δήλωση στα μέσα μαζικής επικοινωνίας.

Με συναδελφικούς χαιρετισμούς,
Γιάννος Γ. Γεωργιάδης
Δικηγόρος & Νομικός Σύμβουλος

Κοινοποίηση:
1. Αρχηγείο Αστυνομίας, Φαξ 22808598, Λευκωσία
2. Βρεττανική Ύπατη Αρμοστεία, Φαξ 22861125, Λευκωσία

Yiannos Georgiades of Georgiades & Associates
my Lawyer Yiannos Georgiades of Georgiades & Associates

Briton in property dispute takes protest to Palace

Conor O’Dwyer, whose court cases in Cyprus have been dragging on for four years, is staging a four day protest outside the Presidential Palace in Nicosia.

THE bizarre twists and turns in Conor O’Dwyer’s quest for justice took a further step today when he started a protest outside the Presidential Palace in Nicosia.

Mr O’Dwyer intends to remain outside the Palace until October 4 when he is due in court to face criminal proceedings concerning allegations made on his website LyingBuilder.com. The proceedings were apparently sanctioned by the Island’s Attorney General and in a statement to this magazine, O’Conor said that he believed they were “an attempt to intimidate, silence and prevent me from pursuing my rights through the courts in Cyprus”.

O’Dwyer’s court cases against his developers have been dragging on for more than four years through the Cypriot judicial system. They resulted from a decision by the Attorney General not to start proceedings against his developers in spite of strong prima facie evidence that O’Dwyer’s developer had fraudulently sold the house he was buying for a second time.

Protests

In 2008, Mr O’Dwyer spent 74 nights sleeping rough for justice in a tiny tent outside the Cypus diplomatic mission in London; only relenting when he when he received a court date for an assault he suffered in January 2008. That case is still being heard in a Cypriot court.

He has also staged several protests at overseas property exhibitions in the UK designed to highlight his plight and to warn others of the risks of buying property in Cyprus.

Mr O’Dwyer told me that his lawyers have notified the Police and the British High Commission about his protest and that he intends to remain outside the Presidential Palace until his court case continues on Monday.

By: Nigel Howarth Published: Thursday 30th September 2010
To see comments from British expats read this article in the Cyprus Property News
Copyright © Cyprus Property News

Ακίνητα: A… Shame in the Sun

Αλγεινή εντύπωση προκάλεσε η κίνηση Άγγλου πολίτη να αναρτήσει υβριστικά και δυσφημιστικά πανό για την Κύπρο έξω από την έκθεση A Place in the Sun που διοργανώθηκε στο Λονδίνο.

Το InBusinessNews που αναφέρθηκε στο θέμα και την περασμένη βδομάδα, εξασφάλισε φωτογραφίες από τον κ. Λέανδρο Μαυρομμάτη, Σύμβουλο Ακινήτων στην Aristo Developers από τη διαμαρτυρία του Άγγλου Conor O’Dwyer έξω από τον χώρο της έκθεσης. H κατάσταση δημιούργησε μία πάρα πολύ κακή εντύπωση τόσο στους επισκέπτες όσο και στους 200 εκθέτες από 40 χώρες.

Ο κ. O’Dwyer υποστήριζε πως ακίνητο που αγόρασε στην ελεύθερη επαρχία Αμμοχώστου, πουλήθηκε για δεύτερη φορά από τον developer χωρίς ο ίδιος να γνωρίζει κάτι ενώ έχασε και τα λεφτά του. Περαιτέρω, ο ίδιος και μέλη της οικογένειας του κρατούσαν φωτογραφίες που τον έδειχναν σε κρεβάτι νοσοκομείου, μετά που όπως υποστηρίζει ξυλοκοπήθηκε από άτομο της εταιρείας που τον εξαπάτησε.

Όπως πληροφορηθήκαμε, οι εκκλήσεις των κυπριακών εταιρειών για να απομακρυνθεί ο κ. O’Dwyer εισακούστηκαν μόνο εν μέρει, αφού η τοπική αστυνομία απλά του ζήτησε να μετακινηθεί σε άλλο σημείο, το οποίο και πάλι ήταν η βασική οδός για κάποιον που ήθελε να πάει στην έκθεση.

Στην έκθεση έλαβαν μέρος τέσσερις κυπριακές εταιρείες. Η Aristo Developers, Hadjivasili Bros Property Developers, Pafilia Property Developers και Loizos Iordanou.

Αυτό που ενόχλησε περισσότερο, όπως μας ειπώθηκε, είναι το γεγονός πως ο παραπονούμενος, με αφορμή ένα μεμονωμένο γεγονός, το οποίο δεν αποδείχθηκε ότι ευσταθεί, κατηγορούσε ολόκληρη την Κύπρο ότι είναι η χώρα της απάτης.

Original article
14.04.2010
antonis@imh.com.cy

Yaşamları allak bullak oldu

Aldıkları villaya taşınmayı beklerken, bir başka İngiliz’e daha yüksek ücretle satılan evlerine giremeyen O’Dwyer ailesi, şimdi Surrey yakınlarındaki kiraladıkları evde yaşıyor. Anne Michaela 8 ve 13 yaşındaki iki kızının olaylardan çok etkilendiğini belirterek; “ailemizin tüm yaşantısı allak bullak oldu” dedi

Aldıkları villaya taşınmayı beklerken, bir başka İngiliz’e daha yüksek ücretle satılan evlerine giremeyen O’Dwyer ailesi, şimdi Surrey yakınlarındaki kiraladıkları evde yaşıyor. Anne Michaela 8 ve 13 yaşındaki iki kızının olaylardan çok etkilendiğini belirterek; “ailemizin tüm yaşantısı allak bullak oldu” dedi

O’Dwyer ailesi, Londra’ya 1,5 saat uzaklıkta yemyeşil Surrey bölgesinde yaşıyor. Daha önce de aynı bölgede 4 yatak odalı evleri varmış. Bu evi Kıbrıs’ın Güneyi’ne yerleşmek amacıyla satarak, parasını oraya yatırmışlar. Ancak istedikleri hiçbir şey planladıkları gibi gitmemiş. Conor ve eşi Michaela’nın biri 13, diğeri 8 yaşında Courtney ve Zoe adlı iki kızı var. 4 yıl önce çocuklarını Yunanca öğrensinler diye kursa yazdıran çift, şimdi o günleri anmak bile istemiyor.

YENİDEN BAŞLAMA MÜCADELESİ
Leatherhead yakınlarındaki evlerinde, bıraktıkları yerden hayata yeniden başlama mücadelesindeler. Baba Conor, 40 yaşında, ithalat yapan bir işadamı.. Güney Kıbrıs’ın AB’ye üye olması ve orasını askerlik günlerinden tanıması nedeniyle, Dikelia üssüne yakın bir yerde ev aradıklarını söylüyor. Adaya yaptıkları seyahatlerden birinde Paralimni yakınlarındaki yeni siteyi gezip, planlarını incelerler. Ve burasını beğenip, almaya karar verirler.

3 YILLIK HAKSIZLIK
Conor O’Dwyer, neredeyse son 3 yılını villasıyla ilgili uğradığı haksızlığa adamış durumda. İnternette açtığı web sayfasının bir hayli takipçisi var. www.shameoncyprus.com’a girerseniz bağlantılı linklerini, başından geçenleri, belgelerini orada okuyabilir, görebilirsiniz.
Eski asker, hem acı tecrübe yaşamanın ağırlığını taşıyor. Hem de bir yerde; “iyi ki gençmişiz. Biz her şeye yeniden başlayabiliriz. Ya bizim gibi aldatılan, dolandırılan yaşlılar ne yapsın” diyerek, bir parça teselli bulmaya çalışıyor.

İŞ KURACAKTI
Evinden ithalat yapan Conor O’Dwyer, aynı işini Kıbrıs’ta da devam ettirecek, internet üzerinden hediyelik eşya ve başka şeyler pazarlayacaktı. Ayrıca eşiyle Aya Napa yakınlarında bir de dondurma yeri açmak istiyorlardı. Ancak tüm hayalleri, villa skandalıyla son buldu.

“ ‘BAŞINI KOPARTALIM’ DİYE BAĞIRDILAR”

“Tanıştığımız Rum müteahhit Christophes Karayiannas ve oğlu Marios bize çok yakınlık gösterdiler. Hele baba Karayiannas, çocuklarımı dizlerinde zıplatıp, sitede çocuk parkı, yüzme havuzunu nereye yapacaklarını bize neşeyle anlatıyordu. Şimdi bunlar aklıma geldikçe çok sinirleniyorum. Bir aileyle böyle nasıl oynanır? Nasıl gözümüze baka baka yalan söylerler? İşin en acı yanı, Karayiannas, 1974’de Kuzey’den kaçtığını ve geride kalan köyünün adını bu siteye verdiğini söylemişti. Sitenin adı Ayios Sergios’du. Müteahhit bir yerde Türkleri suçlarken, köyünün adını verdiği sitede bize satıp, yarı parasını aldığı villamızı bir başkasına ikinci defa satmakta sakınca görmemişti. Paramız bankasında, baba-oğul bana iki kere saldırdılar. ‘Başını kopartalım, kolunu kıralım’ diye Rumca bağırdıkları videolar internette. Ve açtığım dava Baş Savcı tarafından ‘kriminal’ suç unsuru olmadığından ceza davası kabul edilmedi. Sivil mahkemeye gitmem söylendi. Bu nasıl bir standart? Son 4 yılda en az 20-25 kere adaya gittim. Saldırıya uğrayıp, hastanelik oldum. Ne sesimi duyan oldu, ne paramı geri alabildim. Zaten müteahhit bana ilk yazdığı mektupta paramın bir kuruşunu bile geri alamayacağımı yazmıştı”.

100 BİN STERLİN TAZMİNAT

COnor O’Dwyer, anlattıkça kızıyor, kızdıkça duygusallaşıyor. Eşi Michaela sık sık söze giriyor. Çocuklar okuldan gelmeden bu konuşmaları yapmamız gerekiyor. Onların daha fazla üzülmesini haklı olarak istemiyorlar. Aile bu işten baştan sona çok etkilenmiş durumda.
Baba O’Dwyer’ı en fazla kızdıran ise Baş Savcının kararı. 2006 ve 2008’de iki kere baba-oğlun saldırısına uğrayan, hastanelik olan eski asker, her saldırıyı videoya almış ve bunu sitesinde ve Youtube’ta gösteriyor. Zaten müteahhitleri en fazla kızdıran da bu davranışı. Onlar da villa için ödedikleri 100 bin sterlinin üzerine yatmışlar, tabiri yerindeyse.

‘HEM SAVCI, HEM YARGIÇ OLDULAR’
“Ödediğimiz tüm para 100 bin Sterlin. Bundan sonra zaten ödeme almadılar bizden. Çünkü bir başka İngiliz’e Michelle McDonald’a evi daha fazlasına satmış. Bizden aldığı parayı, internetteki yayınlardan dolayı kendilerine tazminat olarak değerlendirmiş ve vermemeye karar vermişler. Bana söyledikleri bu. Hem yargıç, hem savcılık yaptılar. Güney Kıbrıs’ta on binlerce İngiliz’in evi var. Benim gibi mağdur çok sayıda insan var. Ne yazık ki Rum makamları İngilizlere adil, eşit davranmıyor. Kendileri için yasaları kullanıyorlar, ancak yabancıları korumuyorlar. Şimdi de baba-oğlun sesini kaydettiğim, filmlerimi çektiğim için beni dava ettiler. İnsan haklarını çiğnediğim için. Benim insan haklarımı düşünen yok bu arada. Bu bana ve aileme en büyük hakarettir. Güneyde mal sahiplerini koruyan kanunlar var. Ancak bize uygulanmıyor”

“ORAMSLAR SALDIRIYA UĞRAMADI”

Orams davasını yakından izleyen Conor O’Dwyer, kendi davalarıyla onlarınkini karşılaştırıyor. “Onların evini en azından işgal eden biri olmadı. Orams çifti bizim gibi saldırıya uğramadı” diyor. Güney Kıbrıs’ta tüm emlak acentelerinin durumlarını bildiğini kaydeden eski asker, konuşmasını şöyle tamamlıyor;
“ İngiltere’deki bölge milletvekilim ve Avrupa Parlamentosu Milletvekilim davamızı baştan sonra biliyor ve durumu nefretle karşılıyorlar. Beni destekliyorlar. Durumdan İngiliz Dışişleri Bakanlığı da haberdar. Hakkımda 5 ayrı dava var. Ailemin maddi, manevi tüm yaşamı allak bullak oldu. Güneyden ev alacaklara tavsiyem bizim düştüğümüz duruma düşmemek için plandan ev alıp, paralarını kaptırmasınlar. İkinci defa satılan, bitmiş emlak alıp, tapusunu üzerlerine geçirsinler. İnternetten çok destek mesajı geliyor. Adalete inanıyoruz. Davamızı kazanacağımızı umuyoruz”

Mihrişah Safa

We have not learnt our lesson

UNFORTUNATELY, despite the fact that we have had many bad experiences when selling property to foreigners, we haven’t learnt our lesson.

We treat the subject very lightly and then when something goes wrong, we rush to deal with it, by which time it is too late.

A prime example was the event that took place at the exhibition “A Place in the Sun” in London, when Conor O’Dwyer protested outside the exhibition together with his family. O’Dwyer maintained that he bought property in the free area of Famagusta, which was sold for a second time by the developer without his knowledge and he lost money.

We are sure that before O’Dwyer resorted to the protest outside the property exhibition, he must have tried other forms of protest to be heard but had been unsuccessful.

And it is here that the relevant government authorities have a responsibility. If they were as methodical as the private sector and reacted openly and immediately, then we are sure that the problem would have been solved right from the beginning and there would have been no need for the protest in London.

This particular type of incident is not unique. We have seen reports of similar incidents in the past. And it is such incidents that discredit Cyprus internationally, wiping out any gains that have resulted from promotions and advertising that unfortunately only the private sector pays for.

Since we want to promote Cyprus as a destination to buy and invest in property, we should sort out these problems at their root and not let the situation get out of hand in the way that happened recently in London.

The state should intervene dynamically and the Interior Ministry which is responsible for this sector should place this specific problem under its scrutiny. Furthermore, it should take the necessary steps to ensure that such unacceptable incidents never happen again.

We will go one step further and propose that a relevant service be set up that will function correctly and pre-emptively in such instances.

At the same time, the necessary funds should be made available so that we can promote Cyprus in the property sector abroad. And why not, we should combine this with promoting Cyprus as a tourist destination and in this way also promote holiday homes. This should be a joint effort with developers who are also promoting Cyprus extensively.

Finally, it is sad that on the one hand millions are spent on publicity to promote Cyprus and great efforts are being made to deal with the problems of Title Deeds, while on the other hand it is all blown away by a single incident such as the one experienced in London and for which Cyprus earned the name “a shame in the sun”.

By: George Mouskides
Published Financial Mirror: Wednesday 12th May 2010

George Mouskides is Chairman of the Association for the Promotion of Property Development and Manager of Fox Smart Estate Agency. 

To see comments from British expats read this article in the Cyprus Property News

Cyprus lawyer at centre of protest replies

FOTOS PITTADJIS, the lawyer at the centre of yesterday’s peaceful protest in Paphos, has given his side of the story concerning allegations made against him to the Cyprus Mail. In an article by Bejay Browne in today’s paper, he said:

“I have heard about this demo, and I must say I find it offensive and annoying. It all seems to be organised by Chris Wood and Conor O’Dwyer.

“My father represented O’Dwyer in court, and the case was lost.”

Pittadjis continued, “I’ve represented thousands of British nationals, and offered a high degree of legal service, it’s highly unlikely that the people outside were my clients.”

He added, “As regards Chris Wood, he was only my client for one week. He then decided not to buy the property in question.”

“In Wood’s case, the developer had mortgaged the land. In turn, Chris got a mortgage from the bank, and I explained to him, the mortgage would be taken off the developer’s name and put into his.

“He then told me he wasn’t happy with this and he wanted his money back. He pulled out because of the recession and he’s picking on me.”

Pittadjis continued, “I explained this would be difficult as we had signed a sales contract, but I called the developer to try and negotiate. I was assured by the developer he would refund all the money, I’m sure Chris has had it back.”

Pittadjis believes all of his clients to be happy and assured that his company are careful to provide a high level of legal advice.

Often in Cyprus, properties are built on land mortgaged by the developer in order to fund another project.

“I never accept to release the final payment instalment unless the bank issues a waiver to free the property of the mortgage,” said Pittadjis.

“I’ve spent thousands ensuring that I have highly trained staff, so that this sort of situation can be avoided. I want to protect my reputation. People never get to hear my side of the story, and it’s unfair,” he added.

Pittadjis said he checks the mortgage imposed on a property and that the relevant building permit is in place.

“If anyone is a cash buyer, I check I’ve received a waiver form the bank before we release the third and final stage payment,” he stressed.

He added, “Chris even contacted me to negotiate his legal fees. I decided not to charge him anything, so as not to experience any further problems.”

“I’ve provided a good service to thousands of people. As if I would risk everything for a couple of thousand euros,” he said.

Pittadjis himself is one of many purchasers who have brought a property without title deeds.

“Cyprus was never prepared for this building fever,” he pointed out. “I hope that in two or three years, the new legislation will allow owners to apply for title deeds, and all the problems can be resolved.”

Pittadjis concluded, “I have to be honest. Some of these people are right: there are lawyers who might release payment without checking the situation but we never do that.

“We always make sure we have a bank waiver. That’s why the developers have never wanted to work with me – and this is why I’m so hurt by these accusations now.”

By: Nigel Howarth Published: Tuesday 27th January 2009

To see comments from British expats read this article in the Cyprus Property News
Copyright © Cyprus Property News