LyingBuilder
The truth about Karayiannas

18th March 2011

To: Andy Bridge, Managing Director, A Place in the Sun Ltd.

Dear Andy,

Further to our conversation at the weekend and your request on facebook, I have detailed here some of the estate agents that sell properties for Christoforos Karayiannas & Son Ltd. I sincerely hope that this year, swift and decisive action will be taken. Not only are Karayiannas now guilty of two assaults to one of their customers (me) but they also put up no defense in the Private Criminal Prosecution for the unlawful selling of my house to another. I urge you to read this page http://www.lyingbuilder.com/court/303a.html and understand the implications of this verdict. It also links to my lawyer speaking on CYBC radio, this verdict has wide reaching implications for all 'off plan' developers in Cyprus.

Below are companies and listings from the 'A Place in the Sun' website. It is imperative that you remove the estate agent not just the listing. As you will see from the examples below these estate agents put together inspection trips. It would be all too easy for them to entice a buyer with a property advertised on your site only to induce them into a Karayiannas property across the road. My families plight is certainly extreme as we both agreed at the weekend, so use my extreme plight as a litmus test into the estate agents scruples. I hope you distance yourselves from these agencies. I have also included some quotes from their websites which speak for themselves.

Carnival Investment Properties Limited
http://properties.aplaceinthesun.com/details/3089651/
http://www.carnivalproperties.co.uk/index.php

“You will be accompanied to properties and sites with experienced guides who are familiar with the chosen area”

“we are confident that you will avoid the many pitfalls that others before you have discovered to their cost.”

“We have built a unique reputation amongst our customers for honesty, integrity and a willingness to go to any lengths to locate their ideal property. Furthermore, through the excellent relationships that we have cultivated with many of the best developers in Portugal and Cyprus, Carnival is able to offer you an unrivalled choice of property in these regions.”

Purple Property Consultants Ltd
(NOTE: Their office is close to the location of my assaults)
http://properties.aplaceinthesun.com/details/3097137/
http://www.purpleinternational.eu/

“Every property, development or project which we offer has undergone a thorough due-diligence check, as has the owner or developer.”

“Here at Purple International, we pride ourselves on the fact that we are not an estate agency, but rather a consultancy.....”

Cyprus Mediterranean Properties
http://properties.aplaceinthesun.com/details/2799254/
http://www.cyprusmedproperties.com/forsale/PropertyPortfolio/tabid/79/agentType/View/PropertyID/469/Default.aspx

“We will show you a range of stunning properties; fill you with enthusiasm for this spectacular island...”

“It can take slightly longer in Cyprus to receive your title deeds but the property is in your name once your sales contract is deposited with the Land Registry as outlined above.”

Cyprus Ideal
(NOTE: Cyprus Ideal display the AIPP badge but are not members!)
http://www.cyprus-ideal.co.uk/
http://properties.aplaceinthesun.com/details/2213123/

“The legal system in Cyprus is mainly based on the British legal system. The Land Registry in Cyprus is probably the most advanced and reliable system in the world, and is also based on the British equivalent. Purchasing property in Cyprus, therefore, is far more secure, with regard to title deeds, than it might be in other Mediterranean counties. “

“We guarantee that we can show you the widest range of quality, vetted properties available in Cyprus.”

Surely it would now be prudent to send out a memo to all your advertisers from Cyprus stating that agents selling Karayiannas' Property will not be tolerated on your website or at your exhibitions. These estate agents condone Karayiannas' actions and tarnish all their clients with the same brush.

Do not underestimate the battle we live with on a daily basis fighting Karayiannas and the authorities in Cyprus. I stand outside your exhibitions with signs “Cyprus Island of Fraud” “Cyprus not fit for the EU” “Shame on Cyprus” for very good reason. Here is an example of what we are up against and an issue that your exhibitors can help with and prove that these signs have no future merit.

In the Private Criminal Case against my developer and unlawful occupant they subpoenaed their previous lawyer George Pittadjis to testify. I have attached a court transcript (in Greek) in which not only does he say he was not involved in the transaction, but also that he does not recognize the accused occupant (Michelle McDonald) and that when he saw her in court that day he asked “who are you?”. You will also see attached a letter from Pittadjis in which he states “I am writing to you in answer to your letter to my client Michelle McDonald...”,”My client had no idea that there was such a dispute...”,”She bought it in good faith and after she told that a previous contract had been cancelled...”

We lost the case as the judge effectively overruled her own prima facie decision and in the end said there is no criminal offense committed. The case is now going before the Supreme Court.
Despite knowing of the perjury and the Police investigation the judge said only two lines about George Pittadjis (their only witness for the defense)

“George Pittadjis actually went to court to submit two letters and not to testify on the facts of the case. Anyway I accept what he said.”

Since the Pittadjis testimony on the 13th October 2010 I have been battling with the authorities to bring a case of perjury against this lawyer. We have battled for every inch for justice in our 5 year plight. Even to get this transcript and the police investigation I had to go to extreme measures (camping outside the Presidential Palace). The Police investigation was concluded before Christmas but yet again the Attorney General is sitting on the file.
'A Place in the Sun' exhibit for the biggest developers and estate agents from Cyprus. Could you ask those developers and agents angry at my protests to direct their frustration to the Attorney General and help to expedite matters for my family and improve the reputation of Cyprus abroad.

The appropriate people to contact in these matters are:

Polina Efthivoulou (Responsible for our case)
Counsel of the Republic on behalf of the Attorney General
+357 22889242
pefthivoulou@law.gov.cy

Petro Clerides
Attorney General of the Republic
att.gen@law.gov.cy

Karayiannas could end this nightmare for our family at a stroke. They are unchanged, unrepentant, defiant and protected by the courts and we see no end to our nightmare. Our plight will air on ITV's 'homes from hell' this coming season. I understand that viewing figures of five million are expected and the show will be repeated numerous times and sold to international networks. I intend to utilize this publicity.

Please confirm receipt of this email. I hope 'A Place in the Sun' now take appropriate action.

Yours sincerely,

Conor O'Dwyer

Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 9:53 AM

Thank you for this Conor.
Can you supply me with the ID numbers for the properties you have seen on aplaceinthesun.com from the developer Christoforos Karayiannas & Son Ltd and we will speak to the agents promoting them and remove the properties from our site.
We are very sympathetic to your plight and as the developer has been found guilty of assaulting you, will certainly not allow them to promote themselves using our brand. As you know, Christoforos Karayiannas & Son Ltd was not exhibiting at A Place in the Sun Live and I was unaware the properties were on the site so thank you for bringing this to my attention.
What I am not prepared to do is prevent these agents from advertising other properties on our site, I know your concerns that they may show people on an inspection trip a Karayiannas development but it is unrealistic to ask us to bar them and unfair to prevent them from promoting properties from other developers.
Our position remains the same with regards to a dispute between an individual and an overseas property agent or developer, that the dispute is an individual issue and not for an exhibition organiser to be involved with. If criminal behavior is then proven to have taken place, clearly we will have nothing to do with that company.
Best wishes, Andy

Andy Bridge
Managing Director
andy.bridge@aplaceinthesun.com

Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 12:08 PM

Andy,
Kindly read my letter again. It took me some time to write.
In it I listed four advertisements that you are still displaying. You are the face of Karayiannas in the UK. You profit from the estate agents that I have shown to be unscrupulous and boldly tell me you will continue to do so. You condone their actions and you give me sympathy.
I do not work for you. I will not trawl your website on a weekly basis to give you individual ID numbers. I won't waste my time in another lengthy letter. You have ignored half my last.
I am not an individual with an individual problem in Cyprus but someone who has gone above and beyond to produce evidence which you have ignored.
Thank you for clarifying your companies ethics.
Conor

Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 12:26 PM

Sorry Conor but I don’t see it that way at all, we are trying to take reasonable action to prevent someone using our brand who assaulted you but cannot identify the properties. I am not asking you to trawl through the website on a weekly basis but to let me know the ones you have already identified and printed up on your board, if you don’t want to do that it will be difficult to remove the properties.
To suggest we are ‘the face of Karayiannas’ in the UK is ludicrous.
I have read your letter several times and am not ignoring what you have to say, I am though entitled not to agree with everything you think we should do.
Best wishes, Andy
Andy Bridge
Managing Director
andy.bridge@aplaceinthesun.com

Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 1:20 PM

Andy,

Are we reading the same letter. I have attached it again. I will break out the links and list them here.
http://properties.aplaceinthesun.com/details/3089651/
http://properties.aplaceinthesun.com/details/3097137/
http://properties.aplaceinthesun.com/details/2799254/
http://properties.aplaceinthesun.com/details/2213123/
You are not taking "reasonable action" because you think it "unfair" to remove the estate agents. You therefore think it fair that they falsely display the AIPP badge to consumers.
You think it fair that someone should go on an inspection trip with an agent who says
“Every property, development or project which we offer has undergone a thorough due-diligence check, as has the owner or developer.” when the truth is he works where I was assaulted and will introduce you to Karayiannas.
You tout a large product on your website and with that comes responsibility. You are responsible to people who can loose everything they have worked for. You are responsible for peoples health and safe retirement.
I am not being ludicrous at all. Do what you want.
Conor

Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 11:24 AM

Conor, we’ve spoken to the four agents and they were not aware of the Karayiannis properties, one of them has a property feed of over 1,000 properties coming through to our site.
We have asked them to check again, if you have the references it would be very helpful; irrespective of what you think I don’t want these properties on the site either.
Property listings are very tricky to manage, but if these agents are not able to control their feeds better and ensure these properties do not reappear, we have explained we will have to simply not accept their listings.
Best wishes, Andy

Andy Bridge
Managing Director
andy.bridge@aplaceinthesun.com

Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 11:28 AM

I would also request that you remove our logos from your website.
Thanks, Andy

Andy Bridge
Managing Director
andy.bridge@aplaceinthesun.com

Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 12:48 PM
Thank you for your emails Andy.
Please be specific - who said "not aware of the Karayiannis properties" ?
All four?
Thanks
Conor

Wed, Apr 6, 2011 at 12:19 PM

It works like this Conor.
The property listings on our website are provided by a third party company with hundreds of agents listing tens of thousands of properties. The person who looks after this for us at the third party company was asked to arrange to get the Karayiannis properties down which you identified, which we cannot identify. When he contacted the agents, they said they weren’t aware they had these properties in their feed but happy to take them down anyway. Which agent said exactly what I don’t know, I am simply trying to get these property listings down.
We thought we had done this, you say we have not, you have identified additional properties which we will now bring to their attention if you point them out to us. If they can’t send us a feed without Karayiannis properties we won’t allow them to list.
Please confirm you will remove A Place in the Sun and A Place in the Sun Live logos from your site.
Regards, Andy

Andy Bridge
Managing Director
andy.bridge@aplaceinthesun.com

Wed, Apr 13, 2011 at 4:31 PM

Andy,
You have asked me to point out more Karayiannas listings on your website. The APITS website is riddled with Karayiannas properties and I believe it always will be while you do business with these unscrupulous estate agents. I did say on the 23rd March that I will not trawl your website on a weekly basis to give you individual ID numbers. I also said in my first email that the four listings I gave you were examples. Here are more examples of the same agents selling Karayiannas' properties.
http://properties.aplaceinthesun.com/details/3063895/
http://properties.aplaceinthesun.com/details/3097476/
http://properties.aplaceinthesun.com/details/2213368/
Here is an additional agent doing the same not reported before.
http://properties.aplaceinthesun.com/details/1838864/
I'm sure you don't believe the estate agents are not aware that they have Karayiannas properties listed on your pages today. Karayiannas are a prominent but local developer based in the Paralimni area of Cyprus. There are not tens of thousands of listings in that area.
I am concerned that there is another layer between your company and the developments you advertise. This is not apparent as it is your presenters pictures on the top right of the page of every house for sale. I hope you can show that you have some control over the feed you display.
Looking back on our correspondence you seem only concerned that Karayiannas are promoting themselves using your brand. I am more concerned about the consumer. It was reasonable of me to ask that you remove these estate agents while they have Karayiannas on their books. You fully understand that they may show people on an inspection trip a Karayiannas development.
Regarding the use of logos on my website please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use

Regards
Conor