Open-ended residential lease (Greece)

Published byDocMuse

A Greek residential lease between private individuals with no end date: the property, the rent and its adjustment, the deposit, running costs, duties and the move-in and move-out records. Even an open-ended lease runs at least three years under Greek law (Law 1703/1987); after that it ends by written notice under Article 609 of the Greek Civil Code, with the notice period the lease sets, at the end of a calendar month. It includes an early-exit clause for the tenant, the landlord's lease declaration to the tax authority (ΑΑΔΕ) by both parties' tax numbers, and rent paid only by bank transfer, which Law 5222/2025 will make compulsory.

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Common questions

How long does an open-ended residential lease in Greece actually last?

At least three years. Article 2 of Law 1703/1987 applies the three-year minimum to a main-residence lease agreed with no fixed term, and the landlord cannot end it sooner unless the tenant fails to pay or breaks the lease. After three years the lease carries on until one side ends it by written notice.

What notice ends an open-ended Greek lease after the three years?

Written notice under Article 609 of the Greek Civil Code which, with monthly rent, is given at least fifteen days ahead and ends the lease at the end of a calendar month. The lease sets a period in months, never shorter than the legal one, which binds both sides. A landlord who wants a repossession order must have served the out-of-court notice (εξώδικη δήλωση) at least three months before applying for it (Code of Civil Procedure 637). Notice is served by a court bailiff, so it can be proved.

Can a Greek landlord raise the rent under an open-ended lease?

Only as the lease's adjustment clause provides — by the consumer price index, for example, or by a fixed percentage. There is no unilateral increase. Any other change in the rent needs both sides' written agreement, and the landlord then files an amending declaration with the tax authority (ΑΑΔΕ) by the end of the following month.