Laws relative to property ownership in Greece have been changing considerably during the past few years. Additionally, the Greek government has shown a commitment to making sure these new rules and regulations are enforced. In the introduction to the series, I briefly outlined several important areas to be discussed. This week, we will discuss Illegal Structures (Afthaireta).

Perhaps you’re wondering how buildings or structures you lawfully own and declare on your taxes can be regarded as ‘illegal’. Let’s review the definition of ‘illegal structures’, as per the Greek statute.

As of September 21, 2011, when selling or transferring any property, buildings and land to family members, owners are required to submit a Declaration of Legality. This certificate basically states the ‘as-built status’ of structures, meaning the exact area, dimensions and use of all buildings on-site. Not surprisingly, owners of property in Greece are unaware of what has actually been built in comparison to what has been declared on permits and deeds.

Essentially, owners are typically unaware of what they actually own.

In light of the financial crisis, the Greek government has established a grace period for compliance, which grants owners the chance to legalize their property violations. The applicable penalty fine in each case varies depending on the location, type, and size and construction date of the unlicensed structures.

Common examples of violations include any closed area space and extensions to existing buildings without permits as well as enclosed balconies and verandahs, garages, attics and basements converted into living space. Many landscape structures such as swimming pools, canopies and BBQs built without permits are also considered violations, therefore must be legalised.

While the grace period for compliance is still in effect, it is advised that owners conduct a ‘legal check’ of their property. Even if you are not considering selling at the moment, secure what you own. Appoint a certified architect to do an on-site inspection to verify if your built property is in compliance with issued permits.

In order to do so, gather all related documents such as building permits and drawings, ownership titles, deeds and contracts of purchase. If original documents are unavailable, your architect can obtain verified copies from the authorised municipalities and public entities in which your property is registered.

Should violations be determined, declare your ‘illegal’ property while you can. The grace period for compliance is currently effective up to February 2016 and applies for unlicensed structures built after November 30, 1955 and prior to July 28, 2011. Applications are submitted and handled online by certified architects and engineers through the Technical Chamber of Greece.

The first step involves paying a minimum application fee of 500 euros depending on the nature of violations. There are three options for paying off the total fine: 1) pay in total, and receive a 20 per cent discount; 2) pay 30 per cent and receive a 10 per cent discount and pay the balance in instalments; or 3) pay interest-free monthly instalments. Previously, final Declaration of Legality Certificates, necessary for all property transactions, were only issued if the total fine was paid off; however, and in an attempt to lighten the financial burden, on August 8, 2013, the Greek government amended the law to include the second payment option as well.

On occasion, I have clients with property violations tell me that they have no intention of legalising their property. In fact, they believe that the Greek government can’t possibly determine and record all existing unlicensed structures and this new regulation is yet another way for the government to collect more money, and eventually, additional property taxes.

This may be true, so if that’s the case, then why ‘legalise’? Simply because by Greek law, all transactions require a Declaration of Legality; consequently, owners with property violations will not be able to sell, rent or transfer to family. Keep in mind, this new regulation is part of Greece’s ongoing effort to properly record all built property and ease the transfer of property. In the near future, all buildings will be registered on an electronic database and assigned a unique Electronic Building ID Code, a term which we will discuss at a later time.

*Katerina Sirouni, was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She is an architect-engineer and received her degree from the National Technical University of Athens in Greece. A licensed architect, she is a member of the National Technical Chamber in Greece, the Association of Architects in Greece and the Hellenic Energy Inspectorate. www.ksirouni.com