Under Greek law, the application of Directive which requires energy saving measures in new buildings and the issuing of an energy performance certificate for every building which is sold or rented, was extended to Greece. This energy certificate will be issued by a special body of energy inspectors.
The certificate is valid for 10 years and the cost will be met by the owner. In the case of apartment buildings and properties in general with a communal central heating system, the law allows for a joint energy performance certificate to be issued for the entire building, the cost of which will be paid by all joint owners pro rata with their ownership share in the entire building. The Law also makes it obligatory for building heating and air-conditioning facilities to be periodically inspected. More specifically it will require that an energy performance study must be prepared for all new buildings, and for all existing buildings which are radically renovated.
Issuing of energy performance certificates as a prerequisite for the purchase / sale or rental of buildings has become mandatory from 9.1.2011 for all rentals and sales of entire buildings while it will become mandatory for rentals of parts of buildings from 9.7.2011. In order to draw up deeds of conveyance, notaries public will, from now on, be obliged to cite the reference number of the energy performance certificate in the contract and attach an official copy of that certificate.
All property rental agreements, whether drafted privately or by a notary public, must also cite the energy performance certificate’s reference number. The tax office will no longer officially stamp rental agreements if a valid energy performance certificate is not presented to it.
The following categories of rental agreements (relating to properties with or without buildings on them) are permanently excluded from the obligation to obtain such a certificate:
• Rentals of all manner of lots (plots and land parcels) with no buildings on
• Extensions or renewals of existing leases with the current lessee.
• Amendments to the terms and conditions of existing leases (e.g. a reduction in the rent payable).
• Rentals of buildings or parts of buildings or construction projects housing large or small industries, workshops, production plants and service outlets housing major electromechanical facilities. Among other things, this category includes factories, the facilities of craft industries, car maintenance and repair shops, car body paint shops, timber yards, food manufacturing plants, launderettes, ironing services, dry cleaners, stand-alone data centres and research and training laboratories, refineries and power plants.
• Rentals of buildings or parts of buildings or construction projects used to store goods or items or to house animals. Among other things, this category includes general warehouses, agricultural stores, storage sheds at ports, shop storage facilities (and household ones also), museum warehouses, stables, cowsheds, piggeries and chicken farms, etc.
• Rentals of buildings or parts of buildings or construction works where cars, motorcycles or three-wheeled vehicles can be parked, petrol stations and car washes.
