Utilities and bills when you’re not there

Buying a home in Greece is the visible part of ownership. The quieter part is the stream of small obligations that carry on whether or not you are in the country. Most owners of a second home discover them one late notice at a time.

The basics are electricity, water and, if you keep it, internet. A few habits keep them under control:

• Pay from a Greek bank account. Every buyer needs a Greek tax number (AFM), and most also open a Greek bank account. Setting up direct debits or standing orders means bills are paid on time without a costly transfer from abroad.
• Keep a folder of account details. Contract numbers, the name each account is held in, and the supplier contacts should be somewhere you and a trusted local person can both find them.
• Check where bills are sent. Bills and notices arrive in Greek. Make sure emails go to an address you actually read, not to a previous owner or an old agent.
• Decide what stays connected. Standing charges carry on even when consumption is close to zero. Cancel what you do not need, and keep what a home needs to stay in good condition.
• Remember the annual bills. The ENFIA property tax remains due each year whether or not you use the home, and some municipal charges are collected through the electricity bill.

A missed bill on an empty home is rarely dramatic, but it tends to be the first sign that nobody is looking after the practical side.

The building manager and common charges

Most Athens second homes are apartments, and apartments come with a building. Each block has a manager or administrator who collects shared expenses, known as koinochrista. These cover things such as cleaning of shared areas, lift maintenance, heating and electricity for common areas.

Three points matter for an owner abroad:

• The charges do not stop when you leave. Each apartment pays its share even when it is unoccupied, based on the building’s regulations.
• The owner remains responsible. Ordinary running costs can be split between owner and tenant by agreement when a flat is let, but repairs and other extraordinary costs generally fall on the owner. For an empty home there is no tenant, so it is all yours.
• Shared decisions affect you. Larger works, such as work on shared plumbing, may need the approval of the building’s owners at a general assembly.

A few steps that prevent most problems:

1. Get the building manager’s name and contact details, and give them yours.
2. Give the manager the details of a local contact who can be reached if there is a leak, a shared-cost query or a problem in the stairwell.
3. Set up a reliable payment method, such as a standing order, and ask for a statement so you can check what you are being charged.
4. Ask how owners who live abroad can be kept informed of, and represented at, building meetings.

Who holds your keys

It is easy to overlook, but somebody has to be able to get into your home when you are not there. Water needs to be shut off, a building manager may need to check for a leak, a contractor may need access, an insurer may want proof of a visit.

Most owners leave a spare set with a relative, a neighbour or a cleaner. It is worth thinking about how that arrangement holds up.

• Know exactly who has a copy. Keep a written list of everyone who holds keys, including old ones from previous owners or tenants. If the list is long or uncertain, change the locks.
• Do not label keys with the address. A lost key with an address attached is an invitation.
• Choose someone who can get there quickly. A keyholder in another city or a friend who travels often is not much help in an emergency.
• Put permission in writing. Say who may release the keys, to whom, and when.
• Tell your insurer and building manager who your local contact is.

Some owners prefer a professional keyholder, provided the service keeps records and has a clear policy for a lost key. Whoever you choose, the aim is the same: a named person, a clear record, and no surprises.

Getting the home ready for winter

Greek winters can be wet as well as cool. In late November 2025, Storm Adel put Attica under a red-code alert, the highest warning level, and caused street flooding in parts of southern Athens. A home that has sat closed all summer is not ready for that by default.

Before you leave at the end of the season:

• Clear balcony and terrace drains of dust, leaves and grit, and check they run freely.
• Secure shutters and outdoor furniture so the wind cannot move them.
• Shut off the water at the main valve if nobody will be using the home, switch off the water heater first, and tell your local contact where the valve is.
• Empty the fridge, defrost it and leave the door slightly open, and unplug appliances that do not need to stay on.
• Manage humidity. Air the home well, leave wardrobe and interior doors ajar and consider moisture absorbers in damp-prone rooms.
• Set out pest prevention, and remove food and rubbish.
• Photograph every room with dated photos, so you have a baseline if anything changes.

Also check your insurance before you go. Many policies restrict cover once a property has been empty for a set period, commonly 30 to 60 consecutive days, so a winter absence can put you outside the limit.

Arranging regular checks

Utilities, building charges, keys and winter preparation all point to the same underlying question: who looks after a second home in Greece between your visits? Who is responsible for property oversight in Greece when the owner lives elsewhere?

Many owners start with a relative or neighbour. That works for a short absence, but over a winter it tends to fall short. Visits are informal, nobody is trained to spot early damp or a dried-out drain trap, and there is no dated record to show an insurer. A monthly rhythm is a sensible starting point for an empty home. It also sits inside the 30 to 60 day windows that many vacancy clauses use.

Whatever route you choose, look for three things: a regular routine, a written checklist and a dated photo report after every visit.

Many owners handle this with a home watch service rather than a full rental manager. In Athens, for example, Home Watch Athens (homewatchathens.com) visits empty holiday homes on a scheduled basis, checks key areas of the property and sends the owner a photo report after each visit. Visits take place once a month. For a home used only for part of the year, this type of local property oversight can provide owners with a reliable point of contact while they are abroad.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays the building’s common charges when I’m abroad?

The property owner remains responsible. Owners should make sure the building manager has appropriate contact details and establish a reliable payment process.

Do I need a property manager for a holiday home in Greece?

A holiday home that is not rented may not require traditional rental management. A home watch or property oversight service may be better suited to regular inspections and local support.

What does a home watch service do?

It visits the property on a schedule, checks its condition and key systems, identifies potential problems, and reports back to the owner. Home Watch Athens is a members-only home watch and property oversight service for owners of holiday homes and empty apartments in Athens, Greece. Founded by Yanis, the company is based in Glyfada and covers central Athens, Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni, Elliniko and the suburbs. Member homes are visited on a monthly basis and checked against a structured checklist covering ventilation, heating, air conditioning and hot water, taps and toilets, balcony and terrace drains, leaks, damp, pests and the electrical panel. Owners receive a photo report after each visit. Members can also access key holding, pre-arrival support, maintenance coordination, and renovation oversight. Home Watch Athens does not manage rentals or Airbnbs.