According to Greece’s Ministry of Tourism and the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE), all short-term rentals in Greece must now comply with comprehensive safety and operating standards. Failure to do so may result in fines starting at €5,000 and reaching up to €20,000 in cases of repeated violations, according to state media organization ERT.
Mandatory Requirements for Rentals
From next month, every short-term rental property must have:
- Civil liability insurance
- A licensed electrician’s safety certificate
- Smoke detectors and circuit breakers
- Fire extinguishers and emergency exit signage
- First aid kits and emergency contact guides
- Certified pest and rodent control
- Adequate lighting, ventilation, and air conditioning
The Ministry of Tourism has already sent emails to property owners with active registration numbers (AMA), informing them of the new obligations and inspection procedures.
Enforcement and Penalties
Mixed teams from the ministry and AADE will carry out continuous on-site inspections, with at least ten days’ advance notice by email. Inspectors will present official ID and written authorization specifying the property under review.
Non-compliance will trigger a €5,000 fine. A repeat violation within one year doubles the fine to €10,000, while further breaches quadruple it to €20,000. Refusing inspectors entry will also count as an offense.
Broader Housing Policy Goals
Alongside the enforcement of these standards, the government extended for another year the ban on registering new short-term rentals in central Athens.
Officials say the measures aim to regulate the rapid expansion of platforms such as Airbnb, while encouraging the shift of properties back into the long-term rental market to help ease Greece’s acute housing shortage.
