Longer Stay

If you are thinking of staying in Greece for a period of some length or interested in finding a temporary accommodation, it is well worth considering renting. Greece is in general cheap compared to many other European countries. There are many suitable properties to rent, covering all tastes and budgets, you will however need a good starting point when looking.

Real Estate Agents

Real estate agents act as intermediaries between sellers/landlords and buyers/tenants, and are assigned to find a property according to the interested party's demands in exchange for a commission of 1,4% - 2% when purchasing or one month's rent when renting.

Advertising

The next option would be my all means browsing through newspapers advertising. Most newspapers are in greek so you probably need someone bilingual, however some newspapers have special editions in english folded or are published weekly - like Athens News, so keep an eye for those. Get a pen and a phone and jot down questions.

Tenant Information

• About The Rent: Each rent is paid at the beginning of every month to the landlord, or a bank account indicated by the landlord. Bank slips consist the receipt of rent payment.
• About The Security Deposit: Usually upon rental tenants are required to pay two moths worth of rent up front to the landlord. The security deposit will be refunded to the tenant, upon the departure from the premises at the end of the lease provided that the tenant has fulfilled all terms of the agreement.
• About The Duration Of The Lease: There is no restriction as for the duration of the lease. However the tenancy is protected by law for at least three years. Hence even if the agreed duration is two years, the tenant is entitled to extend the tenancy for another year. However, no party is entitled to break the lease earlier, without the consent of the other party.
• About The Yearly Rental Increase: Be aware that after the first or second year of lease, the rent can be increased by a percentage according to the inflation rate of the previous year (between 2% and 3%), this however is negotiable. Some landlords will be kind enough to avoid the increase.
• About The Monthly Maintenance Expenses: The Tenant is obliged to pay an amount contributing to the maintenance of the building accordingly. These may include elevator inspections, interior painting, exterminating etc.
• About Rental Agreement Forms: They are simple to fill in and you will have to sign three copies. One for the tenant, one for the landlord and the third will be submitted to the Tax Authorities by the landlord.