Before appointing a manager for an Athens apartment, write down what is difficult for you now: finding a tenant, following payments, arranging repairs, or being absent when a local visit is needed. A good comparison starts with that brief. Ask each candidate for the same written scope and price, then check who makes decisions and how the agreement ends.
What should a property manager actually do for you?
There is no useful comparison until the tasks are defined. Separate tenant placement from ongoing management, and practical coordination from legal or accounting services. Specify who organises viewings, communicates with the tenant, tracks payments, holds keys and arranges approved work. Ask what remains with you under a partial service.
See the responsibilities discussed in mamaXO’s long-term management service. The written agreement should determine the scope for your property.
What should you ask before you sign?
Use these questions for every provider. Record “not confirmed” when an answer is missing. An unanswered item is not automatically included or free.
Fees and included work
- What is the fee calculated on: rent received, rent due or a fixed amount?
- What is the final amount including VAT, minimum charges and setup fees?
- Are viewings, finding a new tenant, inspections, repair coordination and termination charged separately?
- Which charges remain during a vacant month or late payment? A collection-based percentage does not by itself make all other costs zero.
Rent, deposits and records
- Who is the agreed payee and what payment route applies to this lease? Confirm current requirements before issuing instructions to the tenant.
- How are partial payments, arrears and fees recorded and reconciled?
- Who holds the deposit, how is it documented, and what process applies to deductions or return?
- What authority does the manager receive, and how is it limited? Do not share personal tax or banking passwords.
Repairs, reporting and communication
- What can be authorised without my approval, and how are emergencies handled?
- Who selects and pays contractors? Are markups or referral payments disclosed?
- Can I see an illustrative owner report with receipts and unresolved items?
- What contact channel, reporting language and response arrangements will be written into the agreement?
Contract and accountability
- What is the term, renewal mechanism, notice period and cost of leaving?
- Which person or firm performs any tax filing or legal work, with what authority and fee?
- How are keys, documents, approved work and balances transferred when the arrangement ends?
- What experience, references or insurance can be evidenced for the proposed scope? A sales claim is not verification.
How should the fees work?
Compare total cost for the same assumptions. A percentage on collected rent, a percentage on contractual rent and a fixed monthly charge behave differently. None proves service quality or suitability by itself.
| Scenario to ask the provider to price | Items to include |
|---|---|
| A year with the same tenant | Management fee, VAT, fixed minimums, reporting or inspection charges and excluded professional services. |
| A year with a tenant change | The same recurring costs plus placement, preparation, handover and any empty-period charges. |
| An unexpected repair | Contractor invoice, approval threshold, coordination fee, emergency rules and evidence of completion. |
Keep rent not earned during vacancy separate from fees paid. For an illustrative comparison of waiting for a higher asking rent, use the vacancy-cost tool. It is not a rental valuation. For our service, check current mamaXO plans and fee calculations.
Who should hold your rent?
Get the payment route in writing: the lease payee, receiving account, reconciliation process and the manager’s fee. Rent, a tenant’s deposit and a repair float are different amounts and should be recorded separately.
Checked 23 September 2026: AADE Decision A.1187/2026 postpones the commencement of Article 210(1)–(3) of Law 5222/2025 to 1 July 2027. The earlier October 2026 date is outdated. Do not treat a proposed bank-payment rule as proof that every other payment is legally void, or that a generic power of attorney authorises every banking action. Ask your accountant or lawyer to confirm the route for your lease before changing instructions.
The rent-records guide covers the practical questions. Use the official AADE rental-statements service for the declaration process; a tax declaration is distinct from the private lease and the management agreement.
What matters if you are an overseas owner?
Ask how the work happens when you cannot attend: who holds keys, how access is agreed with an existing tenant, who receives a repair request and who can authorise expenditure. The authority needed depends on the action; a management contract is not universal authority to sign, file tax returns or operate a bank account.
Use the remote-owner handover planner to organise the property’s condition, access and requested tasks. Existing lease documents, payment records and open repairs should be transferred through an agreed secure process after the initial discussion.
What should make you pause?
- A fee quote without a calculation base, VAT treatment or exclusions.
- No explanation of money custody or no reconciliation of the deposit and rent.
- Repair spending authority that is unclear or broader than you intended.
- Promises of tax filing, guaranteed rent or legal outcomes without specific terms and responsible professionals.
- No workable process for getting your records and keys back.
These are questions to resolve, not a claim that a particular price model or notice period proves misconduct. Compare the written answers and decide which responsibilities you are comfortable delegating.
Prepare a short brief for your property
Write down the area, whether the apartment is vacant or occupied, the two or three tasks you want to delegate, and any upcoming handover. Keep precise addresses, tenant identities and private documents out of an initial public enquiry.
Discuss management of my Athens apartment. We can discuss whether the property and requested tasks fit the service before scope and fees are agreed. If you are still comparing, use the Athens service-model comparison alongside this checklist.
