How to check charges and mortgages on a Cyprus company
If a Cyprus company has borrowed against its assets, its lenders will usually have registered a charge with the Registrar of Companies. Checking the charges tells you who has first claim on the company's property, which matters if you are lending to it, buying from it or suing it.
What a charge is
A charge is security a company gives over its assets for a debt: a mortgage over land or buildings, a floating charge over all its assets, or security over specific assets such as bank accounts or receivables. If the company does not pay, the secured lender can enforce against those assets ahead of ordinary creditors.
Under the Companies Law, most charges a Cyprus company creates must be registered with the Registrar within a short period (21 days) of their creation. Otherwise the security can be void against a liquidator and other creditors. Lenders therefore make sure their charges are on the file.
The three forms to look for
| Form | What it is | What to read on it |
|---|---|---|
| HE24 | Particulars of a charge, filed for registration | The date, the lender (chargee), the amount secured and a short description of the property charged |
| HE50 | The Registrar's certificate of registration | That the charge was registered, and when |
| HE28 | Declaration of satisfaction | That the debt was repaid, or the property released, in whole or in part |
The registry company report also lists the company's charges and shows whether each one is still in force or has been satisfied.
Searching is free and needs no account. A complete company file costs €20 (the Registrar's €10 fee + €10 to ESearchCy) — and your first credit is free.
How to read the charge history
- Match each HE24 with an HE28. A charge with no declaration of satisfaction is presumed still in force.
- Look at who the lenders are. Banks, related companies or individuals each tell a different story about how the company is financed.
- Watch for "all monies" and floating charges. These can cover everything the company owns, now and in the future.
- Check the dates. A charge registered just before a sale, a dispute or a liquidation is worth a closer look.
Property mortgages: also check the Land Registry
A mortgage over Cyprus land or buildings is also registered with the Department of Lands and Surveys against the property itself. The company file tells you which charges the company has given. The Land Registry tells you what is registered against a specific property. For a property deal, check both.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a Cyprus company has a mortgage or charge?
Order its company file. The registry company report lists registered and satisfied charges, and the file contains the HE24 particulars, HE50 certificates and any HE28 declarations of satisfaction.
What is the HE24 form?
The HE24 is the form used to register the particulars of a charge or mortgage created by a Cyprus company: the lender, the amount secured and the property charged.
How do I know if a charge has been paid off?
Look for a form HE28, the declaration of satisfaction. The registry report also marks charges that have been satisfied.
Does the company file show mortgages on its property?
It shows charges the company registered with the Registrar of Companies, including mortgages. For a specific property, also check the Department of Lands and Surveys.
Searching is free and needs no account. A complete company file costs €20 (the Registrar's €10 fee + €10 to ESearchCy) — and your first credit is free.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Registry records can be incomplete or out of date — see our Disclaimer.