Paphos Life

I have been married for more years than I can remember, my wife and I are financially independent, are joint owners with deeds for our property. but are totally exasperated that only (it seems) my name can be on utility bills, this caused problems recently when my wife tried to renew her driving licence, was asked for 12 month electricity bill in her name for the renewal, which was not possible.

Other institutions, banks etc seem to favour the male of the species.

Have tried in vain for joint name utilities, why? Is this not anti female? Is this even legal? It certainly stinks of a sexist attitude.

Has anyone managed to get round this issue?

I should ad that my wife was sent from the citizens service centre because electrics were not in her name, we returned the next day with a letter from our village president, stating she was a legitimate resident of a house that she has a 50% share in!. Without that her licence could not be renewed.

It seems that what was a simple business to renew a driving license, has recently got more difficult. The Ministry of Transport is simply part of the Govt. However, other married women have reported the same difficulty. Probably getting a letter from your village Muhktar is the best way forward as this person's support is worth a lot in all sorts of situations.

Dee

I went with 6 months electricity bills PLUS my wedding certificate (and copy). No problem whatsoever.

LouiseCastricum wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:04 pm I went with 6 months electricity bills PLUS my wedding certificate (and copy). No problem whatsoever.

I’m sorry Louise, this is preposterous, you were applying for a driving license, not a renewal of vows.

Was the electric bill in your name?

Mark wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:35 pm

LouiseCastricum wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:04 pm I went with 6 months electricity bills PLUS my wedding certificate (and copy). No problem whatsoever.

I’m sorry Louise, this is preposterous, you were applying for a driving license, not a renewal of vows.

Was the electric bill in your name?

No they are in my husband's name, that is why I had to take the wedding certificate.

Cyprus has a long way to go on the subject of Women's Rights.

LouiseCastricum wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:04 pm I went with 6 months electricity bills PLUS my wedding certificate (and copy). No problem whatsoever.

Yes, that is the normal procedure.

Mark wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 8:01 pm I have been married for more years than I can remember, my wife and I are financially independent, are joint owners with deeds for our property. but are totally exasperated that only (it seems) my name can be on utility bills, this caused problems recently when my wife tried to renew her driving licence, was asked for 12 month electricity bill in her name for the renewal, which was not possible.

Other institutions, banks etc seem to favour the male of the species.

Have tried in vain for joint name utilities, why? Is this not anti female? Is this even legal? It certainly stinks of a sexist attitude.

Has anyone managed to get round this issue?

It can be done at the electric board, I asked a few yrs back when changing our address to our residential address from PO Box
I asked about having the bill in both names and they said our account must be closed, the restarted from new with both names, including paying for the deposit

Many couples are now setting up the water/rates in one name and electricity in another.
However proof of landline phone/internet supplier is not accepted.

galexinda wrote: ↑Tue Feb 22, 2022 8:59 am
However proof of landline phone/internet supplier is not accepted.

This is where I have a problem.

My landlord pays our electric and water bills and I pay him.

Our CYTA bills are in my/and wifes name.

Any suggestions on how to overcome this?

This has nothing to do with sexism or women's rights. Women can have their names put on bills just as men can, and in that situation, it would be the men who have to flash a marriage certificate. Assuming that men are going to be the ones to have their names on bills is kind of sexist in the first place...

The bigger question is why Cypriot government departments are always demanding that people prove residency. In most countries, it's enough to show ID and simply be present in the country. (Of course, in many countries, you can just do everything online instead of schlepping to some office.) I think the reason for this is twofold: firstly, finding reasons not to do something is easier than actually doing the work; and secondly, public servants are afraid to take responsibility for anything, so they cover themselves by requiring reams of documentation, even if it serves no purpose. It's also why decisions and procedures, even basic routine ones, have to be referred upwards.

It extends to private organisations too. Why did Bank of Cyprus require electricity bills or insurance documents as proof that I'd moved house, when the EAC only needed to see a tenancy agreement in the first place and the insurance company didn't need any proof at all? If the proof is based on essentially nothing, it isn't proof. I imagine this comes down to the second reason above.

memory man wrote: ↑Tue Feb 22, 2022 9:36 am

galexinda wrote: ↑Tue Feb 22, 2022 8:59 am
However proof of landline phone/internet supplier is not accepted.

This is where I have a problem.

My landlord pays our electric and water bills and I pay him.

Our CYTA bills are in my/and wifes name.

Any suggestions on how to overcome this?

Ask your mukhtar/council for a letter.

Every utility /Bank/ phone etc etc is in my wifes name, she came to set everything up before I could come, so I better not upset her or I will be out on my ear.

memory man wrote: ↑Tue Feb 22, 2022 9:36 am

galexinda wrote: ↑Tue Feb 22, 2022 8:59 am
However proof of landline phone/internet supplier is not accepted.

This is where I have a problem.

My landlord pays our electric and water bills and I pay him.

Our CYTA bills are in my/and wifes name.

Any suggestions on how to overcome this?

Yes there is a solution, and this has also been accepted when opening a bank account, so long as it is in your rental agreement that the landlord pays the bills. Just need to show the rental agreement and receipts/bills with his signature showing he has received the payment from you.

Some interesting posts, but sadly most are responding to ways around a crazy situation.

Why in Cyprus (a country I love) are women treated as second class citizens, allowing joint name utilities would go a long way to amend the issues we have discussed.

It is perfectly possible to have joint names on Electricity Bills. Did this successfully about 6 months ago. You need the right person on the right day. No, it's not acceptable that it should have to be this way, but that's how it is. We all know how it works. Just write off half a day of your life and go for it. You only have to do it once.

managed to put the water bill in my partner's name but they wanted a €300 deposit but managed to persuade them that she is joint owner (both names on deeds) and didn't need a deposit (but it took over one hour).

Mark wrote: ↑Tue Feb 22, 2022 2:56 pm Some interesting posts, but sadly most are responding to ways around a crazy situation.

Why in Cyprus (a country I love) are women treated as second class citizens, allowing joint name utilities would go a long way to amend the issues we have discussed.

So nothing has moved forward in this respect that women are still low in the pecking order.

Years ago, as far back as 2005 I was the breadwinner and all payments into the bank were entered under my name.

As we were being put onto a bonus scheme which had to be paid in USD, it was necessary to open another account.

We already had a joint bank account, strangely carrying my husband's name before mine although even before 2005, the income still was in my sole name.

The USD account was also to be a joint account. And yes, they opened it in my husband's name with mine secondary.

There's no hope, is there....