Greece’s Ministry of Justice is preparing the first law that would directly regulate short-term rental inside apartment buildings. Under the plan, an apartment could be let on Airbnb or similar platforms only if owners representing at least 51% of the building agree.
The proposal is part of a wider rewrite of Greek property law, led by Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis and Deputy Minister Giannis Bougas, with a target of passing the bill in early 2027. It is not law yet, and several details — including how it would treat apartments already operating as short-term rentals — have not been published.
What would the 51% rule mean for Airbnb in Greek apartment buildings?
Under the government’s plan, short-term rental in an apartment building would be permitted only if at least 51% of the building’s total ownership agrees to it.
Today there is no national rule on this. Whether short-term rental is allowed in a building depends on the wording of each building’s regulation, and disputes between owners end up in court — where, according to Greek press reporting, judges have as a rule sided with residential use. An Athens court ruling in July 2026 found that a building regulation from 1970 was enough to stop an apartment being used as a short-term rental, even though it never mentioned platforms.
The 51% rule would replace that case-by-case uncertainty with a simple vote. It cuts both ways. In a building where most owners accept short-term rental, a single objecting neighbour could no longer block it. In a building where most owners object, the majority could stop it.
Why does this matter so much in Greek cities?
Because almost every short-term rental in a Greek city is an apartment in a shared building. Of around 16,500 active short-term rental listings in Athens, more than 95% are apartments in apartment buildings, and the share is similar in Thessaloniki. In other regional cities it is 80% to 85%.
That makes the building vote, not the property itself, the deciding factor for most urban short-term rentals in Greece.
Would this ban Airbnb in Greek apartment buildings?
No. Government officials have said there will be no horizontal ban on short-term rental, describing it as a matter of owners’ economic freedom, and noting that short-term rentals generated almost €1 billion for the state last year.
Some members of the committee drafting the bill have argued that short-term rental should be banned unless a building’s regulation explicitly allows it. That is not the reported government position, but it shows that a stricter version was discussed.
The existing restrictions in the saturated central areas of Athens and Thessaloniki, where new short-term rental registrations are frozen until the end of 2027, would continue to apply alongside any building-level rule.
What else changes in the same bill?
The bill lowers most decision thresholds in Greek apartment buildings from 65% to 51%. It is drafted by a 13-member committee of legal experts that is codifying 1,030 separate pieces of legislation on horizontal property, some dating back almost a century.
Current and proposed majorities in Greek apartment buildings
| Decision | Today | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term rental in the building | No national rule; depends on building regulation and courts | At least 51% of ownership must agree |
| Antiparochi (land-for-flats development) | 65% | 51% |
| Repairs, maintenance and energy upgrades | 65% | 51% |
| Splitting or merging apartments | Often blocked by building regulation | Allowed regardless of building regulation |
The bill also introduces a faster procedure for collecting unpaid common charges, including payment orders; mandatory reserve funds and building insurance; increased powers and responsibilities for building managers; and court mediation for properties held in undivided co-ownership, a common situation with inherited Greek property.
Could owners split a large apartment and rent part of it?
The bill would allow owners to divide or merge apartments regardless of what the building regulation says — for example, turning a 250 m² full-floor apartment into two 125 m² apartments, living in one and renting or selling the other.
The stated aim is to add housing in the large cities. Whether a newly split unit could then be used for short-term rental would, under the same bill, depend on the 51% building vote.
Why are owners and neighbours in conflict?
Because the income gap between short-term and long-term letting is large. A notary quoted in Greek press gave the example of a renovated 80 m² apartment in Kallithea, Athens, that would earn about €700 a month on a long-term lease and €2,300 to €2,500 a month as a short-term rental.
The market has also become concentrated. Market experts estimate that in central Athens, 50% to 60% of apartments offered for short-term rental are controlled by large management companies with between 10 and 100 apartments each, and that at least 500 buildings have been bought — in some cases entirely — by such operators, partly to avoid disputes with resident owners.
What should owners do now?
Nothing changes until the bill is passed, and the text has not been published. Two things are worth doing anyway. Owners already operating a short-term rental in an apartment building should know their building regulation and how their neighbours feel about it, because that relationship is likely to matter more, not less. Buyers considering an apartment for short-term rental should treat the building’s other owners as part of the investment decision — in a few months, their vote may decide what the apartment can be used for.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 51% rule for Airbnb in Greek apartment buildings law?
No. It is part of a bill being drafted by Greece’s Ministry of Justice, with a target of passage in early 2027.
What would the 51% rule require?
Short-term rental in an apartment building would be allowed only if owners representing at least 51% of the building’s total ownership agree.
Would it apply to apartments already rented on Airbnb?
This has not been published. The reported plan does not say whether existing short-term rentals would need approval or would be protected.
Does the bill ban Airbnb in apartment buildings?
No. Government officials have said there will be no horizontal ban, though a building majority could block short-term rental in its own building.
What other building rules change?
Majorities for antiparochi and for repairs or energy upgrades drop from 65% to 51%, and owners could split or merge apartments regardless of the building regulation.
About this article
This article is based on Greek press reporting from 31 August 2026 on the property law reform being prepared by Greece’s Ministry of Justice. The bill had not been published or tabled in Parliament at the time of writing, and details may change.
Related: Can a Building Regulation Ban Airbnb in Greece?, Greek Airbnb Law Explained, Greece Confirms Airbnb Freeze Extended to 2027.
Greek BnB Data provides insights for property owners and investors across Greece. Brothers Consulting manages short-term rental properties in Porto Heli, Ermionida, Argolida and Thessaloniki, Greece.