Title deeds in North Cyprus: types, the property issue, checks

Pre-1974 Turkish, exchange and allocation titles in North Cyprus, the Orams case, the IPC and prosecutions in the Republic of Cyprus, with dates.

9 min read · Updated 26 Oct 2026

Havkey editorial team

North Cyprus has three main kinds of title deed (koçan): pre-1974 Turkish title, exchange title (eşdeğer) and allocation title (tahsis). They differ in where the land came from. Exchange and allocation titles cover land that Greek Cypriots owned before 1974; the north guarantees them under its own law, but the Republic of Cyprus does not recognise them, and the pre-1974 owner may still claim. Since 2025, courts in the Republic of Cyprus have also jailed people for selling or advertising such property. Ask for the title type in writing and have an independent lawyer check it at the Land Office.

The three title types

Type	Turkish name	Where the land came from	How sources describe it
Pre-1974 Turkish title	Türk koçanı	owned by Turkish Cypriots, the state or held under British-period title before 1974	generally described as the most secure; usually priced higher
Exchange (equivalent) title	eşdeğer koçan	owned by Greek Cypriots before 1974; issued under the north’s İTEM law to Turkish Cypriots who left property in the south	the most common type on the market; guaranteed under TRNC law, not recognised internationally
Allocation title	tahsis	allocated by the state on a points basis, for example to people displaced in 1974 or to former soldiers	traditionally seen as the least secure; Northernland says banks do not lend on it

Agency guides also use the abbreviation “TMD” for allocation titles; they do not agree on what it stands for, so ask your lawyer to describe the title in full.

Developers and agencies often say all three types are equally safe because the TRNC guarantees them. Independent guides are more cautious. We do not settle that question here: it depends on the plot and on how the Cyprus problem develops.

Two stages for a flat: kat irtifakı and kat mülkiyeti

A flat in a building under construction is registered under floor easement (kat irtifakı): a share in the land linked to a future unit. After the municipality approves completion, each unit gets its own strata title (kat mülkiyeti). These stages sit on top of the land’s title type: a flat on exchange land gets an exchange-based strata title.

How to see the title type in documents

Ask the developer for a copy of the koçan for the project plot and a written statement of its type.
Read the deed’s heading and remarks. Exchange and allocation titles are issued under specific laws, and the deed or the Land Office record shows the basis of the registration. The wording varies, so do not rely on your own reading.
Have your lawyer search the Land Office record. Only the owner or a lawyer the owner authorises can search it. Ask the lawyer to confirm the type and whether any caution (şerh), mortgage (ipotek) or pending claim is recorded.
For exchange or allocation land, ask whether the pre-1974 owner has applied to the Immovable Property Commission for that plot, and whether the claim has been settled.

The property issue, in facts and dates

Since 1974 the north has been administered by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which only Turkey recognises. The Republic of Cyprus, the EU and the UN regard the area as part of the Republic of Cyprus. Greek Cypriots who left property in the north in 1974 still claim it, and several courts have ruled on those claims.

Apostolides v Orams

David and Linda Orams, British buyers, built a villa in Lapta (Lapithos) on land that Meletios Apostolides owned before 1974. A Nicosia District Court in the Republic of Cyprus ordered them to demolish the villa and return the land. On 28 April 2009 the EU Court of Justice held (case C-420/07) that the judgment must be recognised and enforced in other EU states, even though the Republic does not control the north. On 19 January 2010 the Court of Appeal of England and Wales enforced it. What this means for a buyer: a judgment from a Republic of Cyprus court can be enforced against your assets elsewhere in the EU.

The Immovable Property Commission

The Immovable Property Commission (IPC) in the north hears claims from pre-1974 owners and can award compensation, exchange or restitution. By 26 December 2025 it had received 8,511 applications, concluded 2,181 and awarded GBP 608,764,892 in compensation, according to Erginel Law. In December 2025 the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe found that applicants are not obliged to use the IPC, while treating it as an effective domestic remedy. It resumed the matter in June 2026. The Republic of Cyprus disputes the IPC’s effectiveness; Turkey relies on it.

Criminal cases in the Republic of Cyprus

On 7 February 2025 the House of Representatives raised the maximum penalty for “usurpation” of another person’s property to 5 years in prison and/or a €10,000 fine.
In May 2025 two Hungarian nationals were the first to be jailed, after admitting to promoting and advertising homes near Kyrenia online.
In October 2025 an Israeli developer was sentenced to five years after pleading guilty to 40 charges over developing and selling Greek Cypriot property in the north.
On 20 April 2026 a Ukrainian estate agent, arrested at Larnaca airport in March 2025, pleaded guilty to charges of advertising and promoting property in the north that belonged to Greek Cypriots before 1974. The villages named included Ayios Amvrosios (Esentepe) and Trikomo (İskele). On 12 June 2026 he was sentenced to two and a half years.
In August 2026 a French court ruled that a Lithuanian estate agent, arrested at Nice airport on a European arrest warrant issued by Cyprus, could be surrendered.

These cases concerned property on land that Greek Cypriots owned before 1974. The Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhürman, has criticised the arrests.

What this can mean for a buyer

On exchange or allocation land, the pre-1974 owner may have a claim. It is usually settled through the IPC, but it can also be pursued in Republic of Cyprus courts and enforced in the EU.
Owning, reselling or advertising such property can carry legal risk in the Republic of Cyprus and the EU, and may affect travel to the south.
The UK government does not recognise the TRNC and says its ability to help in the north is limited.
A settlement of the Cyprus problem could change property rights in ways nobody can predict today.

None of this is legal advice. If the title type matters to your decision, ask an independent lawyer in the north and, for risks in the Republic of Cyprus and the EU, a lawyer qualified there.

Next: how to check a developer in North Cyprus.

Where to buy

Sources

Questions

What title deed types exist in North Cyprus?

Three main types: pre-1974 Turkish title, for land owned by Turkish Cypriots or held under British-period title before 1974; exchange title (eşdeğer), issued for land Greek Cypriots owned before 1974 to Turkish Cypriots who left property in the south; and allocation title (tahsis), land the state allocated on a points basis. For flats there are also two stages: floor easement (kat irtifakı) during construction and strata title (kat mülkiyeti) after completion.

Is an exchange title safe?

The TRNC guarantees it under its own law. The Republic of Cyprus and the international community do not recognise it, and the pre-1974 owner may still have a claim, usually through the Immovable Property Commission but also in Republic of Cyprus courts. Sources disagree on how much risk that means for a buyer. Ask an independent lawyer about the specific plot.

What was the Orams case?

A British couple built a villa in Lapta (Lapithos) on land a Greek Cypriot owned before 1974. A Nicosia court in the Republic of Cyprus ordered them to demolish it and return the land. In 2009 the EU Court of Justice held that the judgment must be recognised in other EU states, and in 2010 the Court of Appeal in England enforced it.

Have people been prosecuted in the Republic of Cyprus over property in the north?

Yes. Courts in the Republic of Cyprus jailed two Hungarian nationals in May 2025 for advertising homes near Kyrenia, an Israeli developer for five years in October 2025, and a Ukrainian estate agent for two and a half years in June 2026. The cases concerned property on land Greek Cypriots owned before 1974.

This guide is general information as of 26 October 2026, based on court records reported in the press, law firm and agency publications. It is not legal advice and does not assess any particular plot. Ask an independent lawyer before you sign.

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