- Starting October 1, short-term rental hosts are expected to become part-time firefighters, electricians, and pest controllers — or else risk €5,000 fines that climb faster than Athens rents.
- The government promises safety, but property owners say they have not even been told what kind of fire extinguisher counts, let alone where to stick the emergency signage.
- Inspections will come from mixed teams of tourism officials and tax auditors, because nothing says “Greek hospitality” like the knock of AADE at your door.
- Industry reps warn of constitutional infringements, corruption risks, and the small problem of unannounced strangers barging into your Airbnb at breakfast time.
- Hosts are pushing for a digital platform on gov.gr to upload documents instead of playing cat-and-mouse with inspectors — and surprisingly, the Deputy Tourism Minister seems open to it.
The October Deadline Nobody Asked For
As of October 1, Greece’s short-term rental owners will have to transform their apartments into safety-certified fortresses. Fire extinguishers? Check. Smoke detectors? Check. Exit signs? Of course, because nothing says “romantic Santorini cave house” like fluorescent arrows pointing to the nearest escape.
The new law requires civil liability insurance, electrical certification, pest-control paperwork, first-aid kits, ventilation, air conditioning, and emergency contact guides — basically everything short of a lifeboat and a trained rescue dog.
Inspections will be handled by joint teams from the Ministry of Tourism and the Independent Authority for Public Revenue. Yes, that means the same folks who hunt down unpaid taxes will also be checking your fire blanket.
Fines start at €5,000 and escalate sharply for repeat offenders. For many owners, that is not a penalty — it is the entire season’s profit going up in bureaucratic smoke.
“We’d Love to Comply, If Only We Knew How”
The Athens Chamber of Tradesmen (EEA) and its Short-Term Rental Committee met with Deputy Minister of Tourism Anna Karamanli on September 9 to deliver a simple message: “We are not against rules, but maybe tell us what they are first.”
Circulars with detailed specifications are still missing, leaving owners uncertain about which extinguisher, pest-control certificate, and ventilation level are acceptable. As the committee put it: “Owners cannot reasonably invest in equipment or make structural changes without knowing the exact specifications.” Fair point — nobody wants to install ten fire alarms only to be told they should have bought eleven.
The committee has requested either a three-month delay or, at a minimum, a grace period before fines start flying.
Privacy, Corruption, and a Digital Fix
Beyond the practical headaches, the EEA flagged constitutional concerns. Article 9 of the Greek Constitution protects the sanctity of the home. Surprise inspections by mixed teams of inspectors and auditors? That looks a lot like the opposite. The risk of favoritism and corruption, they warned, is obvious.
Instead, they suggested a gov.gr portal where owners could upload certificates for digital verification. No knocks on the door, no inspectors sniffing around your fridge — just a clean online process, like other regulated activities already use.
To her credit, Karamanli welcomed the idea and promised to look into it, keeping the door open for further dialogue.
Behind the squabble is an industry that has quietly reshaped Greek tourism. Short-term rentals now account for about 60% of available beds nationwide, stretching the season, spreading visitors to lesser-known towns, and supporting an entire ecosystem of cleaners, electricians, furniture suppliers, and property managers.
As October looms, one thing is sure: without clear guidelines, the government risks pushing thousands of small operators into panic mode. And if fines start raining down, Greece’s “sharing economy” might start sharing more lawsuits than sunsets.
