[OPINION] British Residents’ Society Property Problem Questionnaire

The BRS might well be playing into the hands of those who believe there are very few property problems in North Cyprus. This society have asked that those who have property problems fill in an online questionnaire. The trouble is, this is the third time many have been asked to do this and each time they were given hope that these problems would be taken to the government of the day and the victims’ expectations were that they would do something to help them. Because of these failures, the closing of the Property Complaints Office and the side-lining of the Home Buyers’ Pressure Group, property victims have come to believe that there is nothing they can do, apart from possibly spending a lot extra money they probably can’t afford.

There is a saying in education, “no matter how many times you measure a child, it won’t make them grow.” In the property context this means that no matter how many times you ask people to submit their problem, the government will still not be able to help them.

If this was the end of the matter then I wouldn’t have bothered to have written this article, but it’s not. Every time these distraught property victims collect together their horror stories it upsets them, it creates stress that potentially could kill some of them. Every time someone gives them unfounded hopes and their efforts fail, some fall into a depression much deeper than the time before. This is not helping them.

So what will happen to the BRS questionnaire? I believe there will be only a small portion of those with problems who will go through the process of filling it in. This will give the impression that out of the 10,000s of properties sold, perhaps a 100 have problems they feel worth complaining about. A 1% failure rate is nothing to get excited about and so, some will say, stop moaning! I’m sure this is not the BRS intended outcome but, in my opinion, that is what will happen. This turns property victims into moaners; perhaps, for some of them, that’s the straw that broke the camel’s back?

BRS, the government have not said they would do anything so why on earth are you wasting everyone’s time? If you really want to help someone then take one single solitary straightforward unsolved case to the government, publicise that you are doing this and publicise the response. Don’t keep us all in the dark, as all others have. If the government doesn’t have the will to solve a single case, and in a timely fashion, then accept that approaching the current government for help is a waste of time and that perhaps more direct and publicly embarrassing methods are the only way to get them to sit up, listen and do something for a change.

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