Every residential tenancy in Greece rests on two things: the private agreement signed by landlord and tenant, and its electronic declaration to AADE, the Greek tax authority. The first defines the relationship; the second is what the state 'sees'. This guide explains what the contract must contain so that both sides are covered and the declaration goes through without corrections.
What a misthotirio is — and what it is not
The rental agreement (misthotirio) is a private document: the two parties draft and sign it themselves, with no notary. It should not be confused with the 'misthotirio from Taxisnet' that banks and utilities ask for — that is the proof of the electronic declaration, a by-product of the contract, not a substitute for it. Without a signed contract there is nothing to declare.
The details that must never be missing
- The parties: full names, ID details and tax numbers (AFM) of landlord and tenant. The AFM is not a formality — without it the AADE declaration cannot be filed.
- The property: address, floor, size, and the ATAK (property identity number) — found on the landlord's E9 form.
- The duration: start and end dates. For a main residence, the statutory three-year minimum applies whatever you write — see below.
- The rent: amount, payment day and payment method. Bank transfer protects both sides, because it leaves a trace for every month.
- The deposit: amount and the terms of its return — when it is refunded and what may be withheld.
- The PEA number: the Energy Performance Certificate is mandatory for letting, and its number is required in the declaration.
- The use: residence — and an explicit clause on whether subletting or third-party occupancy is allowed.
- The obligations: who pays building charges and utilities, who handles maintenance and wear beyond normal use.
Duration: why the three-year rule applies whatever you write
For a main-residence lease, Greek law sets a minimum duration of three years, binding on both parties — even if the contract says twelve months or nothing at all. A 'twelve-month' lease therefore does not end at twelve months; its terms (such as the rent) simply keep applying within the three-year period. We cover expiry, tacit renewal and termination in detail in our guide to the three-year rule in Greek residential leases.
The mistakes we see most often
- Mismatch with the declaration: one date or amount on paper, another in myAADE. It is the most common problem and the one that surfaces later — in benefit applications, at the tax office, in a dispute.
- A deposit without terms: the amount is written, the conditions of return are not — the recipe for a move-out dispute.
- Verbal 'side agreements': what is not written cannot be proven.
- The forgotten PEA: hunted down at declaration time, when it should have existed before signing.
Build it online — free
You do not need to start from a blank page or a template of doubtful origin. With mamaXO's free lease builder you enter the details once and get a signature-ready contract in two copies — with every field you will later need for the declaration already inside.
After signing: the AADE declaration
The signed contract is declared by the landlord in myAADE by the end of the calendar month following the start of the tenancy, and the tenant accepts it from their own account. The step-by-step process, with everything you need at hand, is in our guide to declaring a lease with AADE.
And if you would rather not deal with any of this — when mamaXO manages the tenancy, drafting and declaring are done by us, along with finding the tenant and collecting the rent. See what we handle for owners.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Greek procedures and deadlines change — verify with the official source before acting.
