On the 24th January 2020, the Cyprus’ Parliament approved an amendment to the rent control law making it easier for landlords to evict tenants, who fall into arrears or deliberately don’t pay their dues.

The House of Representatives voted in the bill which will reform the law regulating out-of-court settlements, in disputes over property rental agreements.

Now the process could take weeks rather than years to secure eviction of a bad tenant.

The law is not retrospective and/or has no effect over cases which are currently disputed, before the Rent Control Court.

According to the new provisions, “tenants who deliberately do not pay their rents will no longer be able to remain on the property indefinitely without facing legal consequences”.

In general, landlords have the right to begin the eviction process even if the tenant has just one rent payment delayed, for more than 21 days.

After the landlord files his/her case, tenants will have 14 days to pay their debts in order to terminate the eviction process.

Otherwise, the judge shall rule to issue an eviction order within 24 hours. Once the decree is issued the tenant shall then have 90 days to deliver the property to the landlord.

It has to be noted that the new law will also compel tenants to ask for receipts, thus contributing to the fight against tax evasion.

Tenants who for some reason might be unable to pay their rent (before the law came into force), shall retain the right, instead of being evicted within three months, to be able, if they wish, to repay their due rents, within a period of 12 months and continue to pay on time.