of Nicosia on 2 June 2002.

MAYORS of municipalities from the occupied areas said yesterday they were planning to sue British estate agents for advertising property for sale in the north.

Athos Eleftheriou, Mayor of occupied Lapithos, said he had already discussed the issue with his colleagues and that a joint letter had been sent to the British High Commission to complain.

"We would also like to hear what the Attorney-general has to say before taking further action," he said.

The Bishop of Kyrenia said yesterday it was also likely that the Church would become involved in an effort to protect its property in the north, much of which has been destroyed or taken over.

Last month, the government said it would step up its campaign to warn foreigners about the illegality of buying property in the north following an exposé in The Observer on an apparent rush by Britons to buy homes there.

According to The Observer, the number of estate agents in the north has risen from three to 15 and there has been a rush to buy up homes ahead of a solution. British-owned estate agency Unwin told prospective buyers there should be no fears over legal ownership, the paper reported.

There are four types of title deeds in the north: 'Foreign Title', 'Turkish Title', 'Turkish prior to 1974' and 'TRNC Title', i.e. previously Greek owned prior to 1974. Buyers wanting to purchase a Turkish or 'TRNC' title property face a number of checks carried out by the regime, and the property is usually leased to the 'buyer' for 49 years.

The government has warned foreigners that anyone who buys property in the north illegally will lose their money.

The rights of Greek Cypriot refugees to their property in the north have been formally established by the European Court of Human Rights, in the case brought by Titina Loizidou against the Turkish government."