Will New Ombudsman Help Cyprus Property Investors Ask Lawyers In Cyprus
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Cyprus Lawyers – Studies – Cyprus Ombudsman – Completed on 26th July 2010.
The Cyprus government recently approved the newly devised position of Consumer Ombudsman.
Although this is the ‘norm’ in other EU states such as the UK for example, it has not been made available to Cyprus citizens until now. Cyprus governments have escaped the EU watch on important matters like this.
An ombudsman is a legal governing authority whose job description is to observe and regulate any services or products used or sold to consumers.
Any consumer of any product or service can put forward a complaint to the ombudsman, instead of going to a court of law. This can include any complaint from your electric bill being too high, your builder didn’t build to your agreed specification, you brought an iron and it broke after a short period of time. You ate in a restaurant and the food was not as advertised or up to standard. You paid for property management and the company did not perform as per agreed contract.
Any services or products that are not up to standard or what you have paid for, whether big or small, to do with consumer products and services can be taken to the ombudsman.
The ombudsman will mediate and find a reasonable solution that both parties must agree on. Although the ombudsman’s decision in these cases is not legally binding, any cases can still proceed to court if so required.
This concept may be used by many individuals who have brought investment property or resident property and have found the land or development is mortgaged and has loans by the developer for example, by using this service it is a cost efficient way of finding a friendly and suitable solution.
This appears to be a cheap and speedier course of action of solving complaints outside the courts, as only a small fee is payable by the complainant.
This is a new concept and there are sure to be glitches and hiccups along the way. However, in other states the ombudsman has become a mandatory and very important figure within the commercial and consumer sector, so it will be interesting to follow and see how this scheme progresses.
We would like to hear your thoughts on the new Cyprus ombudsman and how you feel this new position will help or not help Cyprus.
PUBLISHED BY A&G KOUZALI LAW OFFICE ON 26TH JULY 2010. http://www.lawcyprus.org/
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