Property guide
Property in Greece, owned from abroad
Owning a house, a flat or a shop in Greece while living in another country works well until something goes wrong: a tenant stops paying, a buyer appears, a co-owner disagrees, or someone moves onto the land. Then the questions are practical. What do I do first, which documents do I need, and do I have to travel?
These pages answer those questions in outline, one situation at a time: a tenant who does not pay, recovering possession through the courts, buying and selling from abroad, and disputes over occupation, co-ownership and boundaries. They reflect the law as reviewed on 2 November 2026.
Each page cites the provisions it relies on. Where the property came to you by inheritance, the inheritance guide covers the steps before it can be let or sold.
01 · 2 questions
Tenants and rent
- My tenant in Greece has stopped paying rent and I live abroad. What can I do?Do not change the locks or cut the utilities: unpaid rent is collected and the property recovered through the procedures the law provides. The usual first step is a written demand served on the tenant by a court bailiff; if the rent is still not paid within 15 days, you can apply for an order for the return of the property and, in the same or a separate application, an order for payment of the arrears. For applications filed since 1 May 2026, these orders are issued by a lawyer appointed from a list kept at the local court of first instance, not by a judge. All of this can be done through a lawyer in Greece acting under your power of attorney.Read →
- How do I recover possession of my property in Greece from a tenant while I live abroad?You cannot remove a tenant yourself: in Greece a tenant is removed against his will only on an enforceable title, through a court bailiff. Where rent is unpaid and the lease is proved in writing, the usual route is an order for return of the leased property, which since the 2025-2026 reform is issued by a lawyer designated for the purpose rather than by a judge. Where that route does not fit, you bring an action before the Court of First Instance. With a power of attorney, a lawyer can take every step for you without you travelling to Greece.Read →
02 · 2 questions
Buying and selling
- What should I check before buying a property in Greece while I live abroad?Before you sign anything, have the seller's title and the Cadastre record checked for the true owner, mortgages, seizures and pending claims, and have an engineer confirm that any unauthorised constructions or uses fall within a legal exception or have been regularised. A Greek property is transferred only by a notarial deed, which must then be registered (entered in the Cadastre, or transcribed in the land registry where the Cadastre is not yet operating); until then ownership does not pass. Any deposit and the price must be paid by bank means. You need a Greek tax number, and in most cases you can complete the purchase through a notarial power of attorney without travelling; we first check whether any restriction applies to you or to the property's location.Read →
- How do I sell a property in Greece if I live abroad?You can sell without travelling by giving a special power of attorney, signed at a Greek consulate or before a local notary with an apostille (or consular legalisation), to someone who signs the notarial deed for you in Greece. Before the deed, the notary needs certificates on the property, among them the ENFIA certificate, an engineer's certificate on unauthorised building work and, for buildings, an energy performance certificate. The price must be paid by bank means and the deed must say so, and ownership passes to the buyer only once the deed is registered. As reviewed on 2 November 2026, capital gains tax on property sales by individuals is suspended until and including 31 December 2026; for a later signing, check whether the suspension has been extended.Read →
Your own case
Every property matter turns on its title, its documents and its dates. L+A acts for owners abroad through a power of attorney, in English and Greek.
This page is general information, not legal advice; the answer in any real case depends on its facts and documents.
L+A advises owners of property in Greece who live abroad, from the first document review to court.
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