Selling property in Cyprus: fines of up to €100,000 for missed obligations
Sellers must attach a fresh land-registry search certificate to the sale contract, and lenders must release mortgages on time — or face administrative penalties.
Under an amended property-sale law, the Department of Lands and Surveys now imposes administrative fines on sellers and mortgage lenders who fail to meet specific duties. The department announced the procedure on 13 February; a transitional compliance period ran from 16 February to 16 May 2026 and has now ended.
A seller must attach to the sale contract a property search certificate showing registered encumbrances and prohibitions, dated no more than five working days before signing. Without it a fine applies even if the property is free of mortgages: €500 for prices up to €50,000, €1,500 for €50,001–€200,000, €4,000 for €200,001–€500,000 and €10,000 above that.
Lenders face heavier penalties. If a buyer pays the agreed sum into the seller's account with the lender, the lender must issue a payment confirmation and release or discharge the mortgage. Failure is punished by fines scaled to the mortgage: €5,000 up to €50,000; €15,000 for €50,001–€200,000; €40,000 for €200,001–€500,000; and €100,000 above €500,000.
Both sellers and lenders may appeal to the Interior Minister within 30 days of being notified of a fine. A commentator in Cyprus Mail stresses that fines alone do not make deals safe: buyers should still check the title deed, make sure the prescribed forms are completed and keep clear communication with the lender.
Russian-language business press also advises buyers to request the current certificate before signing and to have an independent lawyer review the documents.
Sources
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