Status of the Land Registrar in each country

What is the status of the Land Registrar in your country:

a) Who is responsible for performing the act of registration of property rights?

The act of registration is operated by each District Lands Officer of the corresponding District Land Office in each District of Cyprus. However, different employees belonging to the Registration Department at each District perform such kind of acts (i.e. registration of transfers, mortgages, encumbrances, etc.)

b) In case of doubt/appeal, who decides?

The Director, as represented by the District Lands Office employees. However, in many cases the interested parties who do not accept the Director’s decision, may lodge an appeal before the Court of the District where the property is situated. Legal educational background is not obligatory.

c) Must he/she have a legal educational background?

Legal educational background is not obligatory. However, for managerial or certain other positions, a university degree is required; law degree is one such requirement in some cases. Nowadays, a large number of employees hold university degrees.

d) Could you characterize the act of registration as a purely administrative duty or a quasi-judicial one?

It varies. In some cases it is purely administrative, however, in some cases it can be considered as a quasi-judicial one (i.e. settlement of boundary disputes).

e) Is the Land Registrar independent in his/her decision making? If yes, how does your legal system assures such functional independence (i.e. the decisions are only challenged before a court).

He is independent as described in the relevant Law.