The owner demands more money for renting an apartment: is the tenant obliged to agree?

The landlord demands to increase the rent, but the tenant does not understand whether he is obliged to agree. Valid in Greece mandatory three-year protectionbut after its completion the market dictates completely different rules.

Rent increases have become one of the most painful topics for thousands of families in Greece. The contract is coming to an end, the owner announces a new amount, and the tenant is trying to understand whether this is a legal change in conditions or a simple attempt to squeeze more money out of a person before the housing market finally achieves common sense.

The main rule for renting a primary residence in Greece remains the same: the minimum contract period is three years. This applies even if the electronic contract or paper agreement specifies a shorter period.

A three-year period is mandatory for both the tenant and the owner. It is provided for by Law No. 1703/1987 as amended. POMIDA also reminds: the usual lease of the main residence cannot be reduced to one year just because it is more convenient for the owner.

Can the owner increase the rent within three years?

An increase in market prices in itself does not give the owner the right to unilaterally change the rent during a mandatory three-year lease.

An increase is possible if the contract has a specific and valid indexation clause in advance. For example, an annual increase of 2% or 3%, or linked to the consumer price index.

If there is no such clause, the landlord cannot simply call and say: “Pay €150 more from January because these are the prices in the area.” The market can be as nervous as it wants, but the agreement still exists.

Legal practice also proceeds from the fact that the amount of the lease is determined by agreement of the parties, and revision requires either a contractual clause or a separate basis. Areopagus Decision No. 592/2018 separately considers the procedure for reviewing leases in the absence of an agreed mechanism.

When can a request for promotion be challenged?

The tenant has the right not to accept the new amount if:

• the owner demands an increase in rent before the end of the three-year period, although there is no provision for indexation in the contract;
• the increase was announced unilaterally without a new agreement;
• the price change clause is formulated vaguely or does not make it possible to understand the size and order of the increase;
• The landlord tries to replace the existing contract with a new one without the consent of the tenant.

In practice, it is important not to limit yourself to oral conversations. If a dispute arises, it is best to retain messages, emails, new amounts announced and a copy of the current contract. In the Greek rental reality, memory suddenly becomes very selective of the party that decided to raise the price.

What happens after three years?

After completion of the mandatory three-year period, the law does not establish an overall maximum percentage increase. The owner can offer a new price based on the market. But he cannot force the tenant to accept it with one Viber message.

After three years, the parties must agree: either to extend the lease on new terms, or to maintain the old ones, or to terminate the relationship in accordance with the rules of the contract and the law.

If the tenant continues to live in the apartment after the end of the term and the owner accepts payment without a written new agreement, the tenancy may become indefinite. Judicial practice recognizes this situation and connects it with the rules of Article 611 of the Civil Code. Areopagus Decision No. 971/2022.

Indexing caveat: small string with big consequences

The most important clause in a lease agreement often looks boring: “αναπροσαρμογή μισθώματος.” It is he who determines whether the amount can change automatically and according to what formula.

There are usually three options:

• fixed annual increase, for example 2% or 3%;
• link to inflation or consumer price index;
• change by separate agreement of the parties.

For example, with a rental of €700 and a fixed growth of 3%, the new amount after a year will be €721. But only if it is expressly written in the contract. Without such a record, the owner cannot turn his own desire to earn more into the tenant’s obligation to pay more.

The market is pressing not only in the center of Athens

The problem has long spread beyond the expensive areas of Athens. When renters try to leave the center for more affordable areas, demand moves with them. And those areas that were considered “cheap” yesterday are beginning to catch up with the rest.

In the first quarter of 2026, average asking prices for rental homes nationwide rose 4.2% compared to the same period in 2025, according to the Spitogatos Index. In Attica the growth was 3.9%, in Thessaloniki 6.6%. Spitogatos data.

These are the requested prices, and not necessarily the total amounts in the signed contracts. But for the tenant the difference is small: when there are few advertisements and demand is high, the owner has the opportunity to set a new price almost without negotiations.

What should a tenant do?

Before accepting a promotion, there are a few simple things you should do:

• carefully re-read the contract, especially the clause on indexation;
• check the start date of the lease and the actual period of mandatory three-year protection;
• compare the price with similar properties in the area;
• ask the owner to put the new proposal in writing;
• do not sign a new contract or change conditions under pressure;
• In case of a serious dispute, contact a lawyer or a tenant defense organization.

It is often more profitable for the owner to keep an accurate tenant who pays on time and does not create problems, than to raise the price too sharply, then look for a new tenant, lose months of rent and start the whole ritual again with advertisements, viewings and promises “only to reliable people”.

Main

Until the end of three years, the tenant is protected from arbitrary increases, unless the agreement provides for specific indexation. After three years, there is no ceiling on the percentage of growth, but the owner also has no automatic right to impose a new amount: an agreement or termination of the lease is required according to the established procedure.

In conditions when housing prices are rising faster than wages can even pretend to catch up with the market, knowledge of the contract becomes not a formality for the tenant, but basic protection of the wallet.

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