Due to the rapid increase in short-term rental activity recently observed in Greece, and in an effort to enhance transparency and service quality in line with European standards, as well as to maintain the competitiveness of Greek tourism, the Ministry of Tourism has submitted a draft law to Parliament.
Specifically, according to Article 3 titled “Specifications for Properties Leased Short-Term” of the new draft law No. 5170/2025, titled “Establishment of Property Specifications for Tourism Enterprises, Specific Control Provisions, Infrastructure Framework Enhancements, and Other Urgent Provisions”, the following changes have been enacted:
1. Properties rented on a short-term basis, pursuant to Article 111 of Law 4446/2016
(Government Gazette A’ 240), must meet the following specifications:
- be classified as primary-use spaces according to paragraph 95 of Article 2 of Law 4067/2012 (Government Gazette A’ 79) and include natural lighting, ventilation, and air conditioning;
- have liability insurance covering damages or accidents;
- include a certified declaration from a licensed electrician, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, a residual current device (RCD) or ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), and emergency exit signage;
- possess valid pest and rodent control certificates, a first aid kit, and a guide with emergency contact numbers.
2. To verify compliance with the above specifications, on-site inspections will be carried out at the registered rental properties listed on the platform of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (IAPR) by officials of the Ministry of Tourism. Additionally, joint inspection teams consisting of IAPR and Tourism Ministry employees may be deployed to simultaneously ensure compliance with tax obligations. At least ten (10) days prior to the inspection, the property manager will be notified via any appropriate means to present relevant documentation confirming compliance.
If necessary, inspection officials may request assistance from the Hellenic Police, who are required to cooperate based on Article 161 of Presidential Decree 141/1991 (Government Gazette A’ 58).
3. Inspecting officials from the Ministry of Tourism must carry their official ID and a written inspection order issued by the relevant Ministry authority, both of which must be presented during the inspection. The order must include at minimum:
- the order number and date,
- the name of the official conducting the inspection, and
- the full name or company name, address, and tax identification number of the property’s owner or manager.
If the inspection involves IAPR staff, a separate tax inspection order is issued pursuant to Article 30 of the Tax Procedure Code (Law 5104/2024, Government Gazette A 58).
4. The inspected party must cooperate with the inspecting official and present all required certificates, declarations, and other documentation proving compliance with the specifications outlined in paragraph 1.
5. A fixed administrative fine of five thousand (5,000) euros is imposed by Ministry of Tourism officials on property managers in the following cases:
- if access to the property is denied;
- if any of the specifications in paragraph 1 are not met;
- if the obligations in paragraph 6 are not fulfilled.
This fine is considered public revenue and is imposed and collected in accordance with the Public Revenue Collection Code (Law 4978/2022, Government Gazette A’ 190).
6. In the event of a repeat inspection within one (1) year from the notification of the initial fine and a new violation of paragraph 1 is found, the fine in paragraph 5 is doubled. For each subsequent identical violation, the fine is quadrupled.
These provisions will come into force on October 1, 2025.