Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How big is a donum of land?A. A donum of land is a third of an acre or 1,338m2. Land measurements are generally calculated in donums, evleks and square feet. There are 4 evleks to the donum and 3,600 square feet to an evlek.
Q. Which areas are the best in North Cyprus?
A. Wherever you choose, North Cyprus is the location, for your dream villa or apartment. Northern Cyprus has beautiful villages set in the mountains or near the sea.
Q. Can anyone buy land or property and live in North Cyprus?
A. Generally yes, but there are certain formalities that you need to complete. Normally on entry you are issued with a 90 day visa (this is normally long enough for tourists). After the 90 days you need a residency permit which is obtained from the Immigration Office. Boyut Construction can give you advice with this formality if required.
You will also require a Purchasing Permit, which is part of the work that your solicitor will carry out on your behalf.
Q. Are there any extras to the purchase price?
A. Unfortunately yes. The first thing as a purchaser will be to retain the services of a solicitor. The fees are approximately ?1000 to ?1300.
The property also attracts a 5% VAT charge, payable upon transfer of title deeds. Title deeds can take 18 months to two years, this is normal in Northern Cyprus, and then the VAT charge will be required.
Also a stamp duty of 6% of the valuation levied by the local Land Registry Office is to be paid. 1% of the 6% (Stamp duty) is a one off payment to the local council.
Q. Do I need to be in North Cyprus to complete on a Purchase?
A. No. This is not particularly uncommon; due to customers’ circumstances many have not been present in the first instance. Once you have a solicitor, you can give them power of attorney, to enable them to act on your behalf. Most of the procedures can be accomplished via e-mail, telephone or fax etc. For more information on this, contact Boyut Construction directly.
Q. How do we make our payments? How do we know when they are due?
A. In most cases the payments are written into the contract. Boyut Construction will complete the building stages according to the contract. Boyut Construction will inform you they have reached the next building stage and request the next payment. This can be sent to Boyut Construction via a bank transfer or to your solicitor, who will release the money to Boyut Construction.
Q. Whilst the property is being built I will be in the U.K. How will I monitor progress and will there be a need for me to come out and view progress regularly and if so how frequently?
A. At each stage we take photographs of your property and supply these to you so that you have evidence your next payment is due. It is advisable to come out at least once during the build as you will also need to choose tiles, wardrobes, kitchen finishes etc if you purchase a new build.
Q. How are we informed of progress on our property during construction?
A. Regular photographs are taken during and after the construction period. Boyut Construction have a dedicated after-sales personnel who record the construction process and send the information to the client regularly. Boyut Construction gives the utmost care and attention to the customer, from the first meeting until the end of the relationship.
Q. Can we use a solicitor from the UK?
A. Unfortunately not. You must use a solicitor based or registered in North Cyprus. Your solicitor will draw up a sales contract, deal will all work related to a Power of Attorney and make an application to the Ministry of Interior on your behalf for a Permit to Purchase.
Q. Should we make a will in North Cyprus?
A. Yes. A will drawn up in the UK will not be accepted in the TRNC; a local will must be drawn up to secure your property in unforeseen circumstances. We advise our clients that a Will should be drawn up on completion of the property. A local solicitor can draw up the document for a small fee.
If you have any further questions, our dedicated sales team would be happy to help, and give you as much guidance as possible. Click here to contact us.
