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Greece

The general list plus what comes on top in this country: deadlines, offices and customs.

62 tasks · General checklist

Contracts and authorities

17 weeks before
Check the notice period: a residential lease runs for three years
Law 4242/2014, art. 13: a residential lease lasts at least three years, even if the contract says less. Leaving earlier is what the contract says, so read the clause on early termination.
14 weeks before
Give notice in writing and keep proof it arrived
An extrajudicial notice through a bailiff is the safe route for a disputed lease; for an amicable end, a signed letter or an email the landlord confirms is enough.
13 weeks before
Arrange viewings for the next tenant
11 weeks before
Sign the new lease
10 weeks before
Deposit: usually one or two months, no statutory cap
The amount and the way it comes back are what the contract says; the deposit is not rent, so do not live it off in the last month.
9 weeks before
Arrange the handover date for the old flat
6 weeks before
Cancel internet and TV contracts
6 weeks before
Book a van for the cellar and small items
4 weeks before
Book time off for moving day
4 weeks before
Lease declaration: the landlord files it with AADE within 30 days
The landlord submits the lease electronically on myAADE. You accept it in your own account, and the acceptance is what proves your address later.
3 weeks before
Draw up the list of address changes
2 weeks before
Update contents and liability insurance
7 days before
Cancel the standing order for the old rent

Packing and decluttering

5 weeks before
Get moving boxes
5 weeks before
Get packing material
4 weeks before
Set a decluttering day per room
3 weeks before
Move the cellar and attic ahead of time
2 weeks before
Pack seasonal and rarely used things
10 days before
Pack the workspace
5 days before
Pack the kitchen, defrost the fridge
2 days before
Pack the first-night box
2 days before
Keep the toolbox separate

Old home

9 weeks before
Declutter: sell, give away, dispose
6 weeks before
Clear out the cellar and attic
4 weeks before
Book a bulky waste collection
7 days before
Factory-reset the smart home devices
1 day before
Read and photograph the meters
7 days after
Clean the old place for the handover
10 days after
Sign the handover protocol, count the keys
4 weeks after
Track the return of the deposit

New home

6 weeks before
Book the electrician and tradespeople
6 weeks before
Check mounting points: shower rail, lamps, curtains
4 weeks before
Order the internet connection
4 weeks before
Decide what to buy new
2 weeks before
Draw a furniture plan per room, take measurements
2 weeks before
Electricity: put the meter in your name and choose a supplier
The market is open, so you pick the supplier; DEDDIE runs the meter. Bring the meter number, the lease and your tax number. A flat that has been empty for a long time may need a new installer's declaration.
7 days before
Test the internet connection
7 days before
Water: transfer the account with EYDAP, EYATH or the municipal utility
Athens is EYDAP, Thessaloniki is EYATH, elsewhere it is the municipal water company. In a block of flats the water often runs through the building account instead.
1 day before
Handover: photograph the condition and the meter readings
There is no statutory handover record. A signed annex with photos, the electricity meter number and its reading is what settles the deposit later.
1 day after
Record and report defects on moving in
3 days after
Label the doorbell and letterbox
7 days after
Set the smart home up again
7 days after
Meet the neighbours and the property manager

Moving day

13 weeks before
Fix the moving date
9 weeks before
Book the moving company
2 weeks before
Reserve the lift at both addresses
10 days before
Parking space for the van: apply at the municipality
Occupying a public space for a lorry or a lift needs a permit from the municipality, and in the city centre the traffic police too. Apply early, it takes days.
10 days before
Arrange care for children and pets
3 days before
Move the plants separately
3 days before
Plan bikes and bulky items separately
On moving day
Food and drink for the helpers
On moving day
Final walk-through of the old flat

After the move

3 days after
Building manager: service charges, lift, moving hours
The building rules set the quiet hours and often the times for moving furniture. The manager also enters you in the service charge list, which is billed by floor area.
7 days after
Set up mail forwarding
7 days after
The electricity bill carries the municipal fees and the ERT levy
Rubbish collection, street lighting and the ERT contribution are collected through the electricity bill. As long as the meter is in someone else's name, they are billed for what you use.
10 days after
Report the new address to AADE and get a residence certificate
You change your address on myAADE, which also decides which tax office you belong to. The municipality issues the certificate of permanent residence that schools and authorities ask for.
2 weeks after
School: the certificate of residence decides the catchment
State schools admit by catchment area. The municipality's certificate of permanent residence, or an electricity bill in your name, is the usual proof.
2 weeks after
Tell the bank, employer and insurers
2 weeks after
Update subscriptions and delivery services
2 weeks after
Personal doctor: register with one near the new address
Your social security number stays the same, but the personal doctor is assigned by area. Changing early keeps referrals and prescriptions running.
3 weeks after
Electoral roll: you vote where you are registered
Moving does not move your vote. Ask the municipality of the new address to enter you on its electoral roll, or you travel back on election day.
4 weeks after
Vehicle and driving licence: change the address
The registration document and the driving licence are changed at the transport department of the region or through a citizens' service centre.

In the app: when setting up the move or under Tasks → Template. Everything can be deselected; a template is a suggestion.

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The checklists in this guide are compiled with care, but without guarantee of completeness or currency. Deadlines and responsibilities change. The information of the respective authority or contracting party is authoritative.