Land owners in Greece can face a variety of problems, particularly if they are absent for long periods of time. There have been many cases of absentee landowners who have found, to their dismay, that some or all of their land is being claimed by trespassers.
Under Greek law, an ownership claim to your land by a third party can be established if that person enters, uses or builds on that land, under certain circumstances. Furthermore, unused land can, under certain circumstances, be declared “forestry land” by the Greek Authorities, thereby rendering that land unusable for construction purposes.
In order to avoid losing your valuable investment as well as protracted and often futile court cases, it is imperative that you reinforce your rights to your land by:
Fencing your properties.
Placing third parties on notice of your rights by affixing appropriate signage.
Checking your property on a regular basis in order to identify and stop any unauthorised third party use of the land.
Cultivating your property (ie. ensuring that wild bushes and grasses are regularly cut and/or watering and tending to orchards).
Renting your land to a local farmer. In the latter case, the lease itself serves as proof of an owner’s interest in the land, even if the lease reflects a nominal fee.
Finally, it is imperative that all title holders in land or any other real property located in Greece, include specific descriptions of that property in an E9 form, duly submitted to the appropriate Hellenic Tax Authorities. Inclusion of a specific property in a duly submitted E9 form can not only be used as evidence of the owner’s vigilance but is also required in order for any title in that property to be conveyed.
These activities can serve as proof of your diligent involvement in the protection of your property, so that a trespasser cannot claim the necessary unimpeded presence on your land which is required for a third party claim to that property.
Many a negligent absentee land owner in Greece has ignored this major issue only to find that the land once owned is no longer theirs.