How to Repossess Leased Property in Greece (2026): Step-by-step Guide to Law 5221

The eviction procedure Greece has been reformed by Law 5221, which introduces a faster route to repossession of leased premises and gives certified lawyers a defined role in issuing payment and repossession orders. For landlords, property managers and in-house counsel, this is a practical shift: the traditional court-heavy path is no longer the only option for recovering possession after lease expiry or unpaid rent. This guide sets out how the reformed process works in plain terms, what documents you must assemble, how long each stage takes, what it costs, and how tenants can lawfully resist. It also explains when the streamlined lawyer-issued route is appropriate and when court proceedings remain necessary.

General information only, this article does not constitute legal advice. Seek case-specific guidance before acting. Where exact statutory periods or Official Gazette references are referred to, verify them against the primary source before relying on them.

1. Overview, what changed in 2026 and who should read this

Quick summary of Law 5221 reforms

Law 5221 reshapes the landscape for landlords seeking to recover leased property. Its central innovation is a streamlined mechanism through which certified lawyers may prepare and issue payment and repossession orders in defined circumstances, reducing reliance on full court litigation for straightforward cases. The reform sits alongside the existing Code of Civil Procedure and enforcement rules rather than replacing them: where a case is contested, the courts retain their role, and physical eviction still runs through the official enforcement machinery. The published text of Law 5221 appears in the Official Government Gazette (Εφημερίς της Κυβερνήσεως / ΦΕΚ), and implementing guidance is issued by the Hellenic Ministry of Justice.

Because the operative details and effective dates are set by the statute and any implementing measures, verify these against the primary source before relying on them.

When to use this guide versus court proceedings

Use the streamlined route when your claim is documentary and clear, a lease that has expired, or rent arrears supported by a clean ledger. Use, or prepare for, court proceedings where the tenant is likely to raise a genuine dispute, where you need interim relief, or where the facts are complex. The comparison table later in this guide sets out the trade-offs in detail.

2. Eligibility, which leases and landlords qualify for the lawyer-issued route

Lease expiries versus non-payment versus breach

The eviction procedure Greece under Law 5221 distinguishes between grounds. Recovery following lease expiry is the clearest candidate for the streamlined route: the contractual right to possession is established by the lease itself and the passage of time. Non-payment cases are also well suited where arrears are documented by a reliable rent ledger and prior notices. Other breach-based claims, nuisance, unauthorised subletting, alterations, tend to involve contested facts and are more likely to require the court path.

Registered versus unregistered leases; commercial versus residential implications

Whether a lease is registered affects the ease of proving your entitlement, and title evidence from the Hellenic Cadastre (Κτηματολόγιο) strengthens any application. Commercial and residential leases are not treated identically: commercial leases frequently use the recovery route on expiry, while residential tenancies carry protections that may limit or modify the steps available. Always confirm the lease category and the applicable protection rules before choosing a route.

Who may apply, landlord, authorised agent or creditor?

The landlord is the primary applicant. An authorised agent or management company may instruct on the landlord’s behalf, but only with a valid power of attorney, notarised where required. Foreign landlords may use the procedure provided they supply proper identification and a compliant authorisation. Establishing authority correctly at the outset avoids a fatal defect later.

3. Step-by-step procedure (HowTo), repossession under Law 5221

This is the core of the eviction procedure Greece under Law 5221. Work through the steps in order. Each step below identifies the responsible actor, the documents involved, the timing, and the common pitfalls. The durations given are practical estimates only and depend on the specific court and enforcement district.

Step 1, Preliminary review and eligibility check (landlord and lawyer)

Before anything is served, confirm that the case fits the streamlined route. The instructing lawyer reviews the lease, the ground for recovery (expiry, arrears or breach), the completeness of the evidence, and the applicant’s authority. In practice this may take a few business days.

Eligibility checklist:

• Ground confirmed. Lease expiry, documented non-payment, or a clear contractual breach.
• Title established. Ownership evidenced by a Cadastre extract or equivalent proof.
• Authority in place. Landlord instructing directly, or a valid power of attorney for the agent.
• Evidence bundle assembled. Lease, ledger, prior notices and proofs of service.

Step 2, Drafting and serving the lawyer-issued payment/repossession order (certified lawyer)

The certified lawyer prepares the payment or repossession order together with the supporting evidence bundle. This is where payment orders by lawyers in Greece take practical shape: the order must state the ground, the sum claimed (where relevant), the demand to vacate or pay, and the consequences of non-compliance. Allow several working days for preparation, longer where the file is complex or documents require certified translation. Lawyers acting in this role must comply with the professional rules of the relevant local Bar Association (Δικηγορικός Σύλλογος), for practitioners in the capital, the Athens Bar Association.

Step 3, Notification to the tenant and the statutory cure period (lawyer)

The order is served on the tenant using the prescribed method, typically service through a court bailiff (δικαστικός επιμελητής), or another method permitted by the Code of Civil Procedure. Service triggers the statutory period during which the tenant may pay, remedy the breach, oppose the order, or vacate. The precise period is fixed by Law 5221 and any implementing measures and depends on the ground; verify the exact number of days in the published text before relying on it. Do not treat service as optional or informal, defective service is the single most common reason repossession efforts collapse.

Step 4, Enforcing the order (voluntary vacation, then bailiff)

If the tenant complies within the applicable period, the matter ends: rent is paid or possession is handed back. If the tenant neither pays nor vacates and does not lodge a timely opposition, the lawyer proceeds to enforcement through a court bailiff. Scheduling and physical eviction timing vary significantly by district and local enforcement backlog. Enforcement is carried out under the Code of Civil Procedure, as interpreted by the courts, including Areios Pagos (the Supreme Court of Greece).

Step 5, If the tenant opposes: grounds and applying to court

A tenant may file an opposition (ανακοπή/αντιρρήσεις). If filed within the statutory time limit, the opposition can be examined by the competent court, and the tenant may seek suspension of enforcement pending that examination. Typical grounds include disputed arrears, defective service, an invalid or continuing lease, or lack of the applicant’s authority. Court timelines here are variable, from several weeks to several months.

Step 6, If judgment is required: court eviction and execution

Where opposition succeeds in moving the case to a full hearing, or where the case was never suitable for the streamlined route, the landlord pursues a court eviction. Once an enforceable title is obtained, it is enforced by a court bailiff in the same way as an uncontested order. This is slower and more costly but delivers a fully adjudicated result.

Step/Who/Duration timeline

Verify all statutory timings against the Official Gazette text of Law 5221 and any implementing measures before relying on them in a live matter.

4. Required documents, what to prepare before instructing a lawyer

Ownership and lease proof

You must show both the contractual right to possession (the lease) and the underlying right to recover it (title). A Cadastre extract or tax documentation supports the latter.

Payment history and accounting

A clean, running rent ledger showing the last payment date and the total arrears is decisive in non-payment cases. Gaps or inconsistencies invite opposition.

Communications and notices

Prior default letters and formal reminders, with proof of service, demonstrate that you attempted to have the breach cured, an important element of a credible file.

Authorisations and powers of attorney for agents

If an agent or management company instructs, the power of attorney must be in place and, where requested, notarised. Foreign landlords should prepare this early.

5. Timeline and deadlines, realistic timetable for each path

Fast path, repossession by lawyer-issued order

For an eligible, uncontested case the streamlined route can move from instruction to enforcement comparatively quickly: a short review period, preparation and service of the order, the statutory period for the tenant to comply or oppose, and then enforcement if compliance does not follow. In practice, a clean lease-expiry case resolved without opposition is generally measured in weeks to a few months rather than a long litigation cycle, though local variation is significant.

Court eviction path, ordinary litigation timeline

Where the matter proceeds through the courts, the timeline lengthens considerably, often several months and potentially beyond a year where the case is fully defended and appealed. Court fees, hearing scheduling and the possibility of interim applications all extend the process.

Effects of opposition and appeals

A timely opposition can lead to suspension of enforcement and convert a fast repossession into contested litigation. This is the single biggest variable in the eviction procedure Greece: a well-founded objection resets the timetable to the court’s calendar. Anticipating likely defences before you serve, and building the file to answer them, is the most effective way to keep a case on the fast path.

6. Costs and fees, what landlords should budget

Lawyer fees, court fees, enforcement and bailiff costs

Budget across several heads: the certified lawyer’s preparation and issuance fee, service and bailiff service costs, enforcement and bailiff fees, court filing fees if the matter becomes contested, and removal or storage costs if a physical eviction is carried out. Foreign landlords should also budget for certified translation and notarisation. Fees are not fixed nationally for these services and vary by firm, district and complexity, so obtain a written quotation before instructing.

Costs vary by district, firm and complexity. They are usually borne initially by the landlord and may be recoverable from the tenant where ordered by the court.

7. What changes in 2026: Law 5221 explained

Key provisions, lawyer-issued payment and repossession orders

A defining feature of Law 5221 is the empowerment of certified lawyers to prepare and issue payment and repossession orders in defined situations. The order is an enforceable title but remains subject to judicial review if the tenant opposes it within the statutory period. The professional obligations attaching to lawyers are governed by the rules of the relevant Bar Association, and the operative provisions are published in the Official Government Gazette.

Streamlined recovery for lease expiry, conditions and limits

The streamlined route is designed for clear cases, most obviously lease expiry, where the right to possession is documentary and largely incontestable. The mechanism is not a shortcut around genuine disputes: where the facts are contested, the case returns to the ordinary judicial channel.

Interaction with the Code of Civil Procedure and enforcement rules

Law 5221 operates within, not outside, the existing procedural framework. Enforcement continues through the court bailiff and the official enforcement machinery, and the courts, up to Areios Pagos, retain their interpretive and supervisory role over eviction and enforcement procedure.

How this affects tenant rights and possible new defences

Because the reform speeds up recovery, the practical protection for tenants shifts to the opposition mechanism and to the strict procedural requirements the landlord must satisfy. Expect defences focused on service defects, disputed arrears, the validity or continuation of the lease, and the applicant’s authority. The likely practical effect is that procedural rigour on the landlord’s side becomes even more important than before.

8. Court versus lawyer-issued repossession, comparison and selection guidance

When to choose a lawyer order versus court action

Choose the lawyer-issued order for clear, documentary cases where speed and cost efficiency matter and opposition is unlikely. Choose the court route where you need interim relief, where the facts are genuinely disputed, or where a fully adjudicated judgment is worth the additional time and expense.

9. Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Incomplete evidence bundles. A missing annex or an unreconciled ledger invites opposition. Assemble the full bundle before instructing.
• Incorrect service or defective notices. The most frequent cause of failure. Follow the prescribed service method precisely and keep proof.
• Missing or insufficient power of attorney. An agent without valid, notarised authority can invalidate the whole application. Fix authority first.
• Misunderstanding the statutory period. Acting before the period expires, or miscalculating it, undermines enforcement. Verify the exact period in Law 5221.
• Failing to record condition. Without an inventory and photographs, deposit and damage disputes become difficult to prove.
• Self-help eviction. Do not change locks or remove a tenant’s goods without a court bailiff / enforcement title, self-help risks civil and potentially criminal liability.

Conclusion

The reformed eviction procedure Greece under Law 5221 aims to give landlords a faster route to repossession where the case is clear and the file is well prepared. The trade-off is procedural discipline: correct authority, complete evidence, precise service and accurate calculation of the statutory period are what keep a case on the fast path and out of contested litigation. For lease-expiry and documented non-payment cases, the lawyer-issued order is often the efficient choice; for genuinely disputed or complex matters, the court route remains indispensable.

Verify every statutory timing and citation against the Official Gazette text of Law 5221 and its implementing rules before you act, and treat this guide as a practical map rather than a substitute for case-specific legal advice.

General information, seek legal advice for case-specific guidance.

Sources

1. Official Government Gazette (Εφημερίς της Κυβερνήσεως / ΦΕΚ)
2. Hellenic Ministry of Justice
3. Athens Bar Association (Δικηγορικός Σύλλογος Αθηνών)
4. Areios Pagos (Supreme Court of Greece)
5. Hellenic Cadastre (Κτηματολόγιο)
6. Hellenic Parliament, Legislation