An Athens court has ruled that an apartment owner must stop operating a short-term rental through Airbnb and similar platforms after finding that the building’s regulations allow apartments to be used solely as private residences.
The ruling, issued by the Athens Court of First Instance (Decision No. 2937/2026) as an interim measure, ordered the owner to immediately cease offering the property as tourist accommodation and prohibited any future short-term rental use. The court also imposed a €1,000 fine for every breach of the order.
The decision does not amount to a nationwide ban on Airbnb or other short-term rental platforms. Instead, it reinforces that the rules governing an individual apartment building can take precedence where they clearly restrict properties to residential use.
Building regulations at the centre of the dispute
The case was brought by the manager of the apartment building, who argued that another owner had been renting out their apartment through Airbnb, Booking.com and other platforms during the summer.
According to the complaint, the constant turnover of holidaymakers caused repeated disturbances, including noise during designated quiet hours, while significantly increasing traffic through shared areas such as the entrance, stairwells and lifts.
The manager also raised security concerns, claiming that keys to the building were regularly handed to unfamiliar guests who had no connection to the permanent residents and were unaware of the building’s rules.
The lawsuit sought the removal of all short-term rental listings, the removal of a key lockbox installed near the building’s entrance, and a court order preventing the apartment from continuing to operate as tourist accommodation.
Court finds short-term rentals are not residential use
In its decision, the court placed significant weight on the building’s regulations, which explicitly state that apartments are to be used exclusively for residential purposes.
Although Airbnb and similar platforms were not mentioned in the regulations—largely because they did not exist when the document was drafted—the court found that the intention of the rules was clear.
Judges concluded that accommodation provided to a constantly changing stream of visitors for short stays is fundamentally different from ordinary residential occupation.
Rather than functioning as a home, the apartment was effectively operating as a hotel-style tourist property, making it incompatible with the building’s residential-only restrictions.
The court also noted that simply changing booking platforms would not avoid the restriction. Whether bookings are made through Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, a private website or a management company, what matters is the nature of the property’s use rather than the platform itself.
What the ruling means for property owners
The judgment does not create a blanket legal prohibition on short-term rentals across Greece, nor does it automatically apply to every apartment building.
Instead, it highlights the importance of each building’s legal regulations. Where a building’s governing documents restrict apartments to residential use or prohibit commercial or hotel-style activity, other owners may be able to challenge short-term rental operations through the courts.
For property buyers considering investing in Airbnb accommodation, the case serves as a reminder to carefully examine the building’s regulations, the deed establishing horizontal ownership, and any amendments before purchasing.
Legal experts also recommend confirming that the property can be registered in Greece’s Short-Term Rental Registry and checking whether there are any existing disputes between owners.
Other Airbnb rules still apply
Even where a building permits short-term rentals, owners must continue to comply with Greece’s national regulations.
These include mandatory safety standards introduced in October 2025, covering fire protection, insurance and health requirements, along with tax registration obligations and increased inspections by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE).
In addition, the Greek government has introduced restrictions on new short-term rental registrations in parts of central Athens and Thessaloniki as it seeks to ease pressure on the long-term housing market.
The Athens court’s decision reinforces that while short-term rentals remain legal in Greece, their operation ultimately depends not only on national legislation but also on the legal framework governing each individual apartment building.