Does every jointly owned building need a management committee?

Yes. Every jointly owned building must have a management committee. If none exists or it has ceased, the Director of Lands and Surveys may appoint one after the statutory procedure.

What should I get from the committee before completion?

A written certificate of contributions and arrears, recent accounts and budgets, insurance particulars, relevant resolutions, and details of planned major works. Documented arrears clearance is critical because liability can attach on a joint and several basis across ownership dates.

Can the committee cut off utilities for unpaid fees?

Do not assume self-help measures such as utility cut-off, public naming, blocking access or invented penalties are lawful. The committee may sue for unpaid contributions. Withholding payment is not a lawful remedy for poor management.

Is the Jointly Owned Buildings Bill already in force?

No. As of late July 2026 it was still described as a pending bill. Proposed measures such as a maintenance fund and stronger supervision are not current law until enacted.

Common Expenses in Jointly Owned Buildings

Q: Are common expenses split equally between owners?

No. Contributions are shared by unit area through the contribution ratio in the building regulations, not automatically equally per unit.

Cap. 224 and Common Expenses

What a Jointly Owned Building Is

A jointly owned building is one registered as such under the Immovable Property (Tenure, Registration and Valuation) Law, Cap. 224, together with registered building regulations or the statutory standard regulations where none are registered.

Before you buy, your independent Cyprus lawyer should confirm the building’s registration status at the Land Registry and whether regulations appear on the register. Owner duties also matter: you maintain your own unit, must not damage the building or other units, and alterations are restricted without the required consents.

The Management Committee Must Exist

Every jointly owned building must have a management committee. If none exists or the committee has ceased, the Director of Lands and Surveys may appoint one after the statutory procedure.

Committee duties include insuring the building, maintaining and repairing common property, arranging services, setting and collecting lawful contributions, keeping accounts and receipts, and convening a general meeting at least annually.

The first general meeting should be held within three months of registration. Annual meetings should not be more than fourteen months apart. Ordinary quorum is 50% of the common-property shares; an adjourned meeting may proceed with those who attend. Regulations may be amended by owners representing at least 75% of the common-property shares for registration at the Land Registry. If no regulations are registered, the statutory standard regulations apply.

How Common Expenses Are Calculated

Common expenses are shared by unit area through the contribution ratio in the building regulations. They are not automatically equal per unit.

Heads of expense typically include building insurance, lifts, access and lighting, common utilities, cleaning and maintenance, repair and restoration, management services, and any authorised reserve or major-works levy.

For indicative monthly ranges by property type, see our briefing on typical running costs, which cites about €30 to €50 per month for basic small complexes and €250 to €400 for amenity-rich villa complexes. Those figures are ranges from that briefing, not a guarantee for any specific building.

Vacant Units and Unused Facilities

A vacant or unused unit does not automatically exempt the owner from contributions. An unused facility, such as a lift or pool, generally still attracts contribution if the unit is entitled to use it under the regulations.

Insurance the Committee Must Carry

Compulsory building insurance covers fire, lightning and earthquake at replacement value with a licensed insurer. Other risks may be added if owners representing more than 50% of the shares decide, or if other law requires it.

Committee building cover is separate from your own contents insurance or any landlord policy you arrange for the unit.

What Buyers Must Check Before Completion

Obtain a written committee certificate of contributions and arrears, recent accounts and budgets, insurance particulars, relevant resolutions, and details of any planned major works.

Cyprus law can allow pursuit from the owner when the levy was decided and from the owner when proceedings are filed, on a joint and several basis. Documented clearance of arrears is therefore critical before you complete. Treat inherited debt as a deal point, not a paperwork formality.

Recovering Unpaid Contributions

The committee may sue for unpaid contributions. Do not assume that self-help measures such as cutting utilities, naming owners publicly, blocking access, or inventing penalties are lawful.

Withholding payment is not a lawful remedy for poor management. Practice literature points instead to paying under protest, using meeting procedures to replace the committee, or taking legal routes through your independent Cyprus lawyer.

Reform Bill: Not Yet Law

A Jointly Owned Buildings Bill has been discussed. In July 2026 the Interior Minister described it as a priority, with proposals including a maintenance fund, stronger committees and supervision.

As of late July 2026 it was still described as a pending bill. It is not current law until enacted. Do not rely on proposed reforms as if they already bind owners or committees.

How Cyprus Gate Fits

Cyprus Gate acts only for the buyer. We do not take seller commissions. On jointly owned buildings we treat common-expense history, arrears certificates, insurance and planned works as part of buyer-side screening, then coordinate with your independent Cyprus lawyer for the formal legal checks.

This briefing is general guidance for UK buyers of property in the Republic of Cyprus. It is not legal advice and Cyprus Gate is not a law firm. Confirm the position for your building with an independent Cyprus lawyer before you commit. Last reviewed: 4 September 2026.

Common Expenses in Cyprus Jointly Owned Buildings