Athens court limits Airbnb rentals

In mid‑July 2026, Athens’s Single‑Member Court of First Instance ruled that an apartment could not be used for short‑term tourist accommodation because the building’s condominium regulations required units to serve solely as private residences. The court ordered the rental platform to cease operations in the unit and imposed penalties for future breaches, highlighting the legal force of building statutes when short‑term rentals generate noise, wear, or security concerns. The decision arrived as Greece prepared a legislative overhaul of its property‑ownership laws, slated for adoption later in the year.

A few days later, the same court reaffirmed the ruling in a separate case, stressing that while the judgment does not constitute a blanket ban on Airbnb across all buildings, older condominium rules—often drafted decades before the rise of short‑term‑rental platforms—remain enforceable. Owners and investors are now urged to conduct thorough legal and technical checks before converting property for platforms such as Airbnb, and existing listings in buildings with restrictive statutes may face disputes or be forced to cease.

Together, the rulings signal a tightening judicial stance on short‑term rentals in Greece, foretelling broader regulatory scrutiny ahead of the impending legislative reforms.