By Mersina Isidorou*
Purchasing a property is, for most people, one of the most important financial decisions of their lives. It is therefore reasonable for a buyer to want to know who the professional is with whom they are dealing, that this professional meets specific requirements and operates within a clear framework of supervision and accountability.
This is precisely the institutional gap that we seek to address through the regulation of the profession of Land Development Entrepreneur.
We do not claim that property development today takes place without rules. On the contrary, the development of a project is already governed by a broad framework of town planning, building, environmental and other legislative and regulatory requirements. What is missing is a specific and unified institutional framework regulating the professional activity of the Land Development Entrepreneur itself: who may practise the profession, what requirements must be met, how the profession is supervised and how accountability is ensured.
Addressing this gap is a necessary next step for a market that has evolved significantly and in which the demands of buyers, as well as the responsibilities of professionals, are greater today than ever before.
What we propose
At the heart of the proposal put forward by the Property Development Association is the creation of a registration and supervision system for natural and legal persons who engage professionally in land development for commercial purposes.
A central role in the proposed framework will be played by the "Registration and Control Council of Land and Building Development Entrepreneurs", which will be responsible, among other things, for maintaining the relevant Register and supervising professionals.
The criteria for registration in the Register will be objective, transparent and proportionate to the nature and responsibilities of the activity. The aim is not to create a closed profession, but to ensure a common and reasonable level of professional competence and responsibility for all those active in the market.
The criteria will include, among other things, the structure, staffing and operational capacity of businesses, cooperation with registered consultants, technical competence and proven experience.
The existence of common rules also works to the benefit of professionals themselves. It protects those who operate consistently and responsibly, strengthens healthy competition and contributes to the further enhancement of the credibility of the entire sector.
At the same time, the proposed institution of the "probationary member" ensures that the new framework remains open to those wishing to enter the sector but who do not yet possess the experience required for full registration. Through a transitional period in which the necessary experience can be acquired, new professionals will be able gradually to meet the requirements for full inclusion in the Register.
Buyer protection at the centre
A key pillar of the initiative promoted by the Association is strengthening buyer protection. The creation of an official Register will enable buyers to know that the professional with whom they are dealing is registered, meets specific criteria and operates on the basis of clear rules and obligations. In this way, buyers will have an additional level of security and information in a transaction that, for most citizens, is one of the most important financial decisions of their lives.
Protection, however, does not end at the Register stage. The proposed framework provides for continuous supervision of registered professionals, clear rules of professional conduct and a procedure for the submission and examination of complaints. At the same time, where violations are identified, the prescribed sanctions may be imposed.
A clear framework of accountability is therefore created, through which buyers will not only know with whom they are dealing, but also where they can turn should an issue arise. This is an important safeguard that strengthens buyers' rights and, at the same time, contributes to building greater trust and credibility in the property market.
Time to move to implementation
The effort to regulate the profession of land development entrepreneur began in 2025, when the Property Development Association proceeded with the preparation of a draft law following consultations with stakeholders and with the contribution of its legal advisers.
The draft was submitted to the Minister of the Interior in May of the same year, and this was followed by the establishment of a special working group, with the participation of officials from the Department of Lands and Surveys and representatives of the Association, for the further development of the proposed framework.
Through a series of meetings of the working group, the text underwent further processing and improvements and was subsequently forwarded to the Law Office for legislative drafting review.
What is now required is the completion of the procedures without further delay so that the bill can be submitted to the House of Representatives and parliamentary examination can begin. For the Association, this constitutes the next essential step in turning the proposal into a modern, functional and implementable legislative framework.
The regulation of the profession is a substantial reform that can strengthen the quality, credibility and smooth functioning of the market. We are not seeking more bureaucracy. We are seeking clear rules, higher professional standards and effective supervision.
Ultimately, this is the key objective: greater security for the buyer within an open, healthy and reliable property market.
*Mersina Isidorou is Director General of the Cyprus Property Developers Association.
