Greek Government Considers Short-Term Rental Restrictions

The Greek government is considering imposing restrictions on short-term rentals via websites such as Airbnb.

The restrictions due to be imposed by the Greek government will apply to both landlords and companies which rent out their properties via Airbnb-style platforms, according to Greek media reports.

A huge increase in the number of properties that have disappeared from the ‘normal’ real-estate market in order to be offered on platforms for short-term rentals has created many problems in Greece.

Greek citizens now often find themselves struggling to find a house or apartment to rent in the centres of the big cities. Just as importantly, the Greek state is losing massive amounts of taxation income.

Various measures are being considered by the Greek government, which could affect overseas property investors with Greek properties.

One measure is the establishment of a maximum number of properties which can be rented by a single person. This number could be as low as just two properties per individual.

Another measure being considered by the Greek government is the establishment of a cap on the number of days someone can rent his or her property. This could be ninety days per calendar year for Greece’s cities and big islands and sixty days for small islands with a population of less than 10,000 people.

A third measure also being considered is legislation stipulating that a maximum of €12,000 of income can be earned annually per property. If an individual reaches the amount of €12,000 earned by renting a property via these platforms, they will no longer be able to rent the property for that calendar year.

No measures have yet been finalised, but the Greek government is being urged to act soon on the matter to improve housing availability.

According to the results of a recent study conducted by Greece’s Centre of Planning and Economic Research, more than 126,000 Greek homes, apartments, and properties are currently listed on short-term rental online platforms.