The District Local Government Organisation (DLGO) of Limassol has warned property owners that the structural safety of their buildings is their legal responsibility, not the Organisation’s, amid public concern over dangerous structures following a deadly building collapse in Germasogeia last month.
In an announcement issued on Tuesday, the DLGO said the safety, maintenance, and structural adequacy of every building rests “primarily and exclusively” with its owners and, where applicable, with the management committees of jointly owned buildings. Monitoring a building’s condition and acting in time to inspect, maintain, repair, or restore it is a legal obligation, the Organisation said, directly linked to the protection of human life and public safety.
The DLGO said its role is defined and limited by legislation. It is not responsible for the continuous inspection or certification of privately owned buildings, and it does not substitute for the duty owners bear to keep their properties safe.
Owners were urged to pay particular attention to older buildings or those showing visible signs of deterioration, including cracking, detachment of plaster or concrete elements, exposed reinforcement, dampness, corrosion, deformation, or subsidence.
The Organisation called on all owners and management committees to arrange without delay inspections by qualified professionals registered in the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber (ETEK) Register of Members and, where required, by firms on the ETEK Register of Consultancy Firms.
Where a safety risk is identified, owners must act immediately to eliminate the danger and protect occupants, building users, and passers-by, and comply with the instructions of the competent authority.
The DLGO said it will continue to exercise its responsibilities with diligence, taking all measures required by legislation to protect public safety.
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