Filenews 8 March 2025 - by Ioanna Mantipia
Outrageous is the amount owed to the Limassol Municipality by tenants – business owners, who rent premises but also make use of public spaces, such as squares and pedestrian streets, belonging to the municipal authority but refusing to pay the rent.
The uncollected amount for the more than 180 premises held by the municipal authority reaches €2 million, with the Municipality determined to proceed with legal measures against, initially, 20 cases, which, although warned, seem to have been indifferent to proceed with a settlement.
In order to put the finances of the Municipality on a proper basis and reduce the huge amount of debts, the Mayor of Limassol, Yiannis Armeftis, appears determined to stop the indifference observed for years and proceed with collections.
As we have been told, the Limassol Municipality will take legal action against persons and businesses that rent premises owned by the Municipality and do not pay rents. It seems that some took full advantage of the tolerance observed in previous years, since there were no repercussions, with several owners – managers circumventing the contract they have with the Municipality.
Specifically, we should mention that in the area of Saripolou there are uncollected rents from the use of public spaces and premises, which reach 300,000 euros. This amount does not include the rent for the building of the Municipal Market (former Grocery Store).
According to Filenews, letters have been sent to all those who owe rents to proceed with a settlement, clarifying, however, that this settlement does not concern a reduction of debts, but the method of payment.
It should be noted that initially there were about 9 cases to be referred to the Court for rent debts, while at the moment there are another 10 cases in which tenants did not respond even for settlement.
Yesterday (6/3) during the meeting of the Management Committee of the Limassol Municipality, the issue was discussed extensively, with the municipal groups promoting the proposal for legal measures. This proposal will be put to the vote before the City Council at the next meeting.
