- 05
- Dec.
- 2023
The Mount Lebanon Land Registry: The Nightmare of the Lebanese
modified on 07 Oct. 2024 à 16:46 Read : 2 minute(s) A A A
Activity in the land registry services of Mount Lebanon has been at a standstill since October 2022, after a period of slow operation dating back to early 2020. More than 50,000 land registration formalities in this mohafazat are languishing in drawers. A nightmare for the Lebanese.
Real estate transactions are on hold in the land registry offices of Mount Lebanon, a mohafazat (governorate) that includes Baabda, Aley, Metn, Chouf, Jounieh and Jbeil.
The rare real estate transactions are legalized by the governorate’s notaries, but nothing more. No title deeds are issued in favor of the buyer. This puts the buyer in the uncomfortable position of not being able to dispose of the property.
That said, the land registry services in the other governorates are not running efficiently. Civil servants only turn up at their offices two days a week. Their excuse, albeit a legitimate one, is that their transport allowances and salaries are too low to enable them to get to work five days a week and lead a decent life.
LBP 10,000 billion
According to the Chairman of the Parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee, MP Ibrahim Kanaan, 50,000 land registration formalities in Mount Lebanon remain uncompleted. A figure that represents almost 10,000 billion Lebanese pounds (LBP) of missed tax revenue for state coffers, referring to 2022 revenues, which recorded, until October, 507 billion LBP based on an exchange rate of 1,500 LBP to the dollar.
Corruption
On the instructions of the public prosecutor at the Mount Lebanon Court of Appeal, Judge Samer Lichaa, 124 full-time land registry officials have been prosecuted for corruption following allegations of bribery.
Fifty-six of them have been arrested, while the rest are living in hiding. Fourteen of the latter were issued arrest warrants in absentia.
While waiting for a solution, the Lebanese have no other option but to be patient. Rumors are circulating that the military may be called in to temporarily resume work in the land registry services. However, no information on this subject has been confirmed by This Is Beirut.
Against this backdrop, it is legitimate to ask whether the endemic problem of corruption plaguing public administration is confined to the land registry services in Mount Lebanon.
Real estate transactions are on hold in the land registry offices of Mount Lebanon, a mohafazat (governorate) that includes Baabda, Aley, Metn, Chouf, Jounieh and Jbeil.
The rare real estate transactions are legalized by the governorate’s notaries, but nothing more. No title deeds are issued in favor of the buyer. This puts the buyer in the uncomfortable position of not being able to dispose of the property.
That said, the land registry services in the other governorates are not running efficiently. Civil servants only turn up at their offices two days a week. Their excuse, albeit a legitimate one, is that their transport allowances and salaries are too low to enable them to get to work five days a week and lead a decent life.
LBP 10,000 billion
According to the Chairman of the Parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee, MP Ibrahim Kanaan, 50,000 land registration formalities in Mount Lebanon remain uncompleted. A figure that represents almost 10,000 billion Lebanese pounds (LBP) of missed tax revenue for state coffers, referring to 2022 revenues, which recorded, until October, 507 billion LBP based on an exchange rate of 1,500 LBP to the dollar.
Corruption
On the instructions of the public prosecutor at the Mount Lebanon Court of Appeal, Judge Samer Lichaa, 124 full-time land registry officials have been prosecuted for corruption following allegations of bribery.
Fifty-six of them have been arrested, while the rest are living in hiding. Fourteen of the latter were issued arrest warrants in absentia.
While waiting for a solution, the Lebanese have no other option but to be patient. Rumors are circulating that the military may be called in to temporarily resume work in the land registry services. However, no information on this subject has been confirmed by This Is Beirut.
Against this backdrop, it is legitimate to ask whether the endemic problem of corruption plaguing public administration is confined to the land registry services in Mount Lebanon.
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