Tenant Law · Greece
Lawyer tenant law in Greece: clear guidance for tenants and landlords
Greek tenancy problems are civil-law problems, and they run on their own procedural clock. Tell us what happened once, free of charge, and we match you with a Greek bar-registered specialist who handles tenancy work. You decide whether to go further.
- Specialists in tenancy, rent arrears and property disputes
- Coverage across Greece, from Athens to Heraklion and Rhodes
- Free matching with a first response in 24–48 hours
Free matching · No obligation · Bar-registered specialists only
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Why this page exists
A tenancy dispute in Greece needs the right procedural reading
When a tenancy in Greece turns into a dispute — unpaid rent, a withheld deposit, repairs that never happen, or a notice to leave — the practical question is which court hears the case, what time limit applies and how quickly you can act. Greek tenancy matters sit inside the civil-law system: the Civil Code and related codified statutes, applied by the Magistrates’ Courts and the Courts of First Instance. A lawyer tenant law in Greece practice knows which chamber, which limitation period and which procedural step fits your file. Here you describe your situation once, at no cost, and we match you with a Greek bar-registered specialist who handles tenancy work. The first conversation clarifies your options, the realistic timeline and what the process is likely to cost.
Greece in practice
How tenancy matters are handled in the Greek civil-law system
Greece follows the continental civil-law model, so tenancy questions are answered by codified statutes rather than by binding precedent. The Civil Code, complemented by the Code of Civil Procedure, sets the framework that the ordinary civil courts apply.
Which court hears a tenancy claim
Leases and lease-related claims are civil matters. Depending on the subject matter and the value at stake, a case starts before the Magistrates’ Court (Eirinodikeío) or the Court of First Instance (Protodikeío). An appeal goes to the Court of Appeal (Efeteía), while the Court of Cassation (Areios Pagos) reviews questions of law rather than facts.
What the Court of Cassation can and cannot do
Areios Pagos is divided into six civil-law chambers, covering contractual, commercial, inheritance, real-property and labour matters, plus two penal chambers and a plenary session. It does not re-examine the facts of your case — there is no third degree of jurisdiction on the merits — so a tenancy argument that turns purely on evidence is decided in the lower courts.
Time limits that shape tenancy claims
Periodic claims, which include rent, generally fall under the five-year limitation period rather than the twenty-year period for ordinary civil claims. Claims based on tort, such as damage caused to a rented property, also carry a five-year period with a twenty-year absolute ceiling. Calling in a legal specialist early protects these windows.
Court fees, professional fees and VAT
Court fees are set by statute: a proportional judicial stamp duty (dikastikó énsimo) of 4 or 8 per mille on the value of the claim, plus a 30 per cent surcharge for the TAXDIK fund, with exemptions for public entities and legal-aid recipients. A specialist’s fee is freely agreed in writing; absent agreement, the statutory scale applies, and fees carry 24 per cent VAT.
Legal aid for lower-income parties
Free legal aid in civil cases is provided under Law 3226/2004. Low-income citizens whose annual family income does not exceed two thirds of the minimum annual personal income set by the National General Collective Labour Agreement may qualify, as may persons with a disability of 67 per cent or more, EU citizens and lawfully resident third-country nationals.
Ownership, notarial deeds and the land registry
Tenancy disputes often raise the question of who the owner really is. In Greece the transfer or encumbrance of immovable property requires a notarial deed, and ownership passes only upon registration with the competent Land Registry or Cadastral Office, which is constitutive rather than merely declarative. Searches there may be conducted by lawyers, bailiffs and notaries.
Key time limit — Property & Real Estate Law
Adverse possession (usucapion) of real property — 10 years (ordinary) / 20 years (extraordinary). Background where long occupation of a property is invoked in a dispute.
The country data on this page comes from official sources — Greek official bodies, the Greek Ministry of Justice and the European e-Justice Portal — consulted in 2025.
Common situations
What brings people to us in tenancy cases
Most tenancy files reach us after several months of informal pressure and unanswered messages, when the practical options are narrowing.
You do not know which court your case belongs to
Greek civil justice is organised in three jurisdictions and two ordinary court levels. Getting the entry point right — Magistrates’ Court or Court of First Instance — shapes the timetable, the costs and the evidence you need to prepare.
The other side already has representation
Landlords, tenants and letting agents increasingly act through a legal specialist from the first letter. Being unrepresented at that stage usually means accepting a framework of the dispute that you did not choose.
Nobody will tell you what it will cost
Court fees follow a statutory scale, but professional fees are agreed in writing between client and legal specialist, with 24 per cent VAT on top. A written fee agreement is the simplest way to remove that uncertainty before you commit.
How we help
Matched with a Greece-focused tenancy specialist
We are a matching platform, not a law firm. Our role is to put your file in front of the right specialist quickly and at no cost to you.
Greece-only expertise
We match you with bar-registered legal specialists who work within the Greek civil-law system and know how the ordinary courts, the appeal courts and the cassation route operate in practice.
One short brief, no repetition
You set out the facts once: what was agreed, what went wrong, what has already been sent or filed. That brief goes to the specialist, so the first conversation starts at the substance rather than at the beginning.
Transparent cost conversations
Your specialist explains whether fees will be agreed in writing under the Code of Lawyers or set by the statutory scale, which court fees apply, and whether legal aid under Law 3226/2004 could be available to you.
No obligation to proceed
Being matched costs nothing and commits you to nothing. You can compare what you hear, ask about the timeline and the procedural route, and then decide whether to instruct.
Also available in
Tenancy and property support across Europe
If your dispute has a cross-border element — a property in Greece and a home elsewhere, or the reverse — we can also match you with specialists in these jurisdictions.
Questions
Frequently asked questions about tenancy law in Greece
How do I find a lawyer tenant law in Greece specialist?
Describe your situation once through this page and we match you with a Greek bar-registered specialist who handles tenancy work. Membership of a Bar Association is compulsory to practise in Greece, so the person you speak to is registered with one of the Greek Bar Associations and bound by professional secrecy.
Which Greek court will hear my tenancy dispute?
Lease-related claims are civil matters, heard at first instance either by the Magistrates’ Court (Eirinodikeío) or the Court of First Instance (Protodikeío), depending on the subject matter and value. Appeals go to the Court of Appeal (Efeteía), and the Court of Cassation (Areios Pagos) reviews only the legal correctness of decisions, not the facts.
How long do I have to claim unpaid rent in Greece?
Periodic claims, which include rent, generally fall under the five-year limitation period rather than the twenty-year period for ordinary civil claims. Because the calculated start of that period depends on your particular facts, it is worth having a specialist review the dates before you delay further.
What will a tenancy case cost in Greece?
Court fees are set by statute and include a proportional judicial stamp duty of 4 or 8 per mille on the value of the claim, plus a 30 per cent TAXDIK surcharge. The professional fee is freely agreed in writing with your specialist, or set by the statutory scale where there is no agreement, and fees carry 24 per cent VAT.
Could I qualify for free legal aid in Greece?
Free legal aid in civil cases is provided under Law 3226/2004. Low-income citizens whose annual family income does not exceed two thirds of the minimum annual personal income set by the National General Collective Labour Agreement may qualify, and persons with a disability of 67 per cent or more qualify regardless of income.
How do I prove who owns the property I am renting?
In Greece the transfer or encumbrance of immovable property requires a notarial deed, and ownership passes only once that deed is registered with the competent Land Registry or Cadastral Office — registration is constitutive, not merely declarative. Only lawyers, bailiffs and notaries may conduct searches there, which is one reason a specialist is needed early.
Next step
Tell us about your tenancy problem in Greece
Send a short summary of what happened and what you would like to achieve. We will match you with a Greek bar-registered specialist who handles tenancy work, free of charge and with no obligation, usually within 24 to 48 hours.