November 30, 2025 is the most important date for renters in Greece this year. For the first time, the Greek government will automatically pay a rent refund equal to one month’s rent to eligible tenants. This new permanent housing support mechanism aims to ease the financial burden of housing costs for hundreds of thousands of households.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover all the details of the program: who qualifies, how much money you’ll receive, what the critical deadlines were, and what you need to know for future payments.

What is the Rent Refund

The “Rent Refund” (Επιστροφή Ενοικίου) program is a new permanent housing support measure launched in 2025. Under this system, the state refunds eligible renters the equivalent of one monthly rent payment annually.

Key Program Features

  • Amount: Refund of 1/12 of annual rent (i.e., 1 monthly rent)
  • Maximum cap: €800/year for primary residence, +€50 per dependent child
  • Frequency: One annual payment each November
  • Process: Automatic payment without application
  • Payment method: Direct deposit to bank account (IBAN) registered with AADE

The program was established by Article 70 of Law 5217/2025, which provides annual state-funded subsidies to renters in the form of rent reimbursement. Implementation was specified by Joint Ministerial Decision (A.1132/2025).

Critical Dates for 2025

The payment for 2024 rents will be made by November 30, 2025. To qualify for this first payment, you needed to meet the following deadlines:

July 15, 2025

Deadline to submit the electronic lease information form to AADE for all active rental contracts in 2024. For the program’s first year, this deadline was extended without penalties for late submissions.

September 30, 2025

Tax return deadline. Tenants needed to include their rental contract’s ID number on their 2024 income tax return (form E1) by the last business day of September 2025.

If the lease ID was omitted, the tax authority attempts automatic cross-matching with other information (e.g., property electricity meter number) so the refund can still be issued automatically.

October 20, 2025

Deadline for special cases. If the landlord was exempt from electronic filing (e.g., property owned by the State) or had to file manually (e.g., minor), tenants had to submit supporting documents (lease agreement, rent payment receipts, student enrollment proof if applicable) by October 20 via the digital platform “My Requests” (Τα Αιτήματά μου) on myAADE.

December 31, 2025

Final grace period for corrections. Tenants in special cases (or those who didn’t receive aid due to issues like missing lease ID or misapplied criteria) could submit or correct documents until December 31, 2025. However, in these late cases, payment will be made after November once processed.

These deadlines underscore why November 2025 is pivotal: it’s the target for issuing the first refunds, and missing preceding steps can delay the benefit past that date.

Who Qualifies

To receive the rent refund, you must meet specific income and asset criteria as defined by law and ministerial decision, with slightly different conditions for primary residence vs. student housing.

Primary Residence Criteria

You must satisfy both income and property ownership limits:

Income

Annual total family income (taxable + tax-exempt, real + imputed):

  • Single-person households: up to €20,000
  • Married couples or cohabiting partners: up to €28,000, +€4,000 for each dependent child
  • Single-parent families: up to €31,000, +€5,000 per additional child beyond the first

Example: A married couple with two children can have income up to €28,000 + €4,000×2 = €36,000.

Assets

Total taxable value of real estate owned (per ENFIA property tax data of payment year):

  • Single-person household: up to €120,000
  • Increase: +€20,000 for each additional family member (spouse/partner or dependent child)

Example: A married couple with two children can have property valued up to €120,000 + €20,000×3 = €180,000.

Student Housing Criteria

Only income criteria apply (same thresholds as above). No asset limit is considered.

This applies regardless of whether the student’s rented residence is declared on parents’ tax return or the student’s own return (if independent). A dependent student’s lease can qualify under parents’ income, or an independent low-income student can qualify on their own.

Eligible Leases

The scheme covers rentals of primary homes or student accommodation throughout Greece. The lease must be properly registered with tax authorities (as noted in deadlines above) and active during the year in question (e.g., 2024 for 2025 payout).

If multiple successive leases existed (e.g., tenant moved residences mid-year), they are combined for the year’s total rent calculation.

Refund Amount and Calculation

The refund essentially equals one month of rent per year, subject to a cap:

Maximum Limits

For each primary residence:

  • €800/year per household
  • +€50 for each dependent child

Example: A family with two children could receive up to €900 (€800 + 2×€50) if their monthly rent is high enough to reach the cap.

For each student housing lease:

  • €800/year per student renter

If a family has multiple college-going children renting apartments, each lease can separately receive up to €800.

Calculation Formula

Payment equals one-twelfth (1/12) of total rent paid over the year. Essentially, this means one month’s rent is returned.

If the tenant had more than one rental during the year (multiple leases in sequence), rents paid under all leases are summed before taking the 1/12 fraction.

Regulations specify that the refund will be calculated based on the lower of:

  1. Rent amount officially declared in the lease contract
  2. Rent income the landlord reported on their tax return

This ensures the refunded amount doesn’t exceed verified rent paid.

Payment Timing

Aid is paid as a lump sum once a year (not in installments). For the 2024 rent year, the full eligible amount will be deposited by November 30, 2025.

In subsequent years, the same pattern applies (e.g., rent paid in 2025 will yield a refund by November 2026, etc.).

Application Process and Payment Procedure

No separate application is required for most beneficiaries – the process is automated and integrated into the tax system.

Required Steps

1. Lease Declaration

The landlord (lessor) must have submitted rental lease details electronically to AADE (via online Taxisnet platform). This lease information declaration is a standard legal requirement for renting property and had to be on file (for 2024 leases, by July 15, 2025).

2. File Income Tax Return

The tenant (or their parent, if it’s student housing) files the annual income tax return for the relevant year and includes the unique lease declaration number in the appropriate field (Table 6 of form E1).

For 2024 rents, this meant the tax return filed in 2025 needed to reference the lease. An extended grace period allowed amendments by end of September 2025 to add this if initially missed.

3. Automatic Verification

AADE cross-checks the tenant’s tax return information against the lease database. If the lease ID was provided, it links the declared rent amount.

If the lease ID was missing but the tenant did declare paying rent (or if other info like address and electricity meter match), cross-matching is done so eligible renters aren’t excluded due to minor filing omissions. AADE has been empowered to use any available data to verify an active lease and rent paid.

4. Disbursement

The refund is paid directly to the tenant’s bank account (IBAN) as registered in AADE’s system.

Beneficiaries were advised to ensure their IBAN details were up to date on the myAADE online portal (via “Μητρώο & Επικοινωνία > Δήλωση Λογαριασμού IBAN”) for seamless payment.

First payments are scheduled for November 30, 2025, when roughly 80% of renting households are expected to receive the subsidy.

Special Case Handling

If a tenant’s situation fell into a special category (e.g., public-sector landlord, manually recorded lease, multiple student leases in one family, etc.), they needed to upload supporting documents via AADE’s “My Requests” online platform by specified deadlines (Oct 20 or Dec 31, 2025).

AADE will process these and disburse the refund after verification. Payments in such cases might occur after November if documentation was submitted late.

Overall, the application process is largely automated, leveraging existing tax filings. The aim is that most eligible renters receive the benefit without needing to apply or interact with any additional platform, unless there are discrepancies or special circumstances.

Restrictions, Conditions, and Clawbacks

The “rent refund” comes with certain conditions and safeguards:

Rent Must Be Paid in Full

The refund only covers rent that was actually paid. If a tenant failed to pay some of their rent (or paid late), assistance will be reduced or withheld accordingly. AADE’s digital cross-checks can detect whether rent payments were made (via electronic receipts), distinguishing reliable payers from defaulters.

Tax-Free and Protected Subsidy

By law, it is tax-free, cannot be seized or set off against recipient’s debts, and is not subject to any fees or contributions. It’s effectively treated like a grant for the tenant’s benefit.

Rent Payment Method (From 2026)

To improve transparency, the government announced that from January 1, 2026, rent payments in Greece will be required to be made via bank transfer to the landlord’s account.

This future rule (to be detailed in a ministerial decision) is meant to facilitate verification of rent paid for the refund scheme and to combat tax evasion (no more large cash payments for rent).

Clawback for False Information

If it’s found that a renter’s tax declaration was inaccurate or false in a way that led to overpayment of the refund, authorities will reclaim the money.

Any improperly received amounts will be charged back with interest (using the statutory interest rate for tax debts) from the date of payment.

Moreover, a tenant who fraudulently claimed the benefit can be barred from the program for the next three years. This penalty aims to prevent abuse of the scheme.

One Refund per Year per Household/Student

Aid is given once per year for each eligible lease. If a family has multiple qualifying leases (e.g., primary home and student apartment for a child), each can get a refund, but each individual lease only yields at most one monthly rent back.

Landlords do not receive this subsidy – it’s solely for tenants, and it doesn’t affect the landlord’s own taxes (aside from requiring that rent was declared).

No Age Limit

Unlike some housing programs, there are no age restrictions for the rent refund. It’s available to any renter meeting the criteria, whether young or old.

No Double Dipping

The law specifies that the refund corresponds to rent actually paid for a single primary residence (so a person cannot claim two “main residence” refunds in the same year), and for each student housing contract separately. The rent refund is a distinct benefit, separate from any other housing allowance programs.

How the Refund Will Work in Future Years

The program is permanent, so future years will follow the same pattern:

  1. Each year: Declare leases and include them in your tax return
  2. Each November: Automatic payment for previous year’s rents
  3. From 2026: Bank transfer requirement for rent payments

Example timeline:

  • November 2025: Refund for 2024 rents
  • November 2026: Refund for 2025 rents
  • November 2027: Refund for 2026 rents

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to apply?

No. The process is automatic if you’ve properly declared your lease and meet the criteria.

What if I changed homes during the year?

All leases for the year are totaled. You’ll receive 1/12 of the total rent you paid.

Can I get a refund for my child’s student apartment too?

Yes, if family income meets criteria. Each eligible lease (primary residence + student housing) receives separate refunds.

What if I own property?

For primary residence, total property value must not exceed €120,000 (+€20,000 per family member). For student housing, there’s no property limit.

How much money will I receive?

Up to €800/year for primary residence (+€50/child), or up to €800/year for each student housing. Actual amount is 1/12 of annual rent, with this cap.

When will the money be deposited in my account?

For 2024, by November 30, 2025. In future years, each November.

To better understand how housing costs affect your finances, try our calculators:

  • Rent vs Buy: Compare whether it’s better to rent or buy property, factoring in ENFIA, TAP, and the rent refund
  • Gross to Net: Calculate your net salary to budget how much you can afford for rent
  • Net to Gross: Find what gross salary you need to afford your desired rent

Official Information Sources

For further practical guidance, AADE’s taxpayer help service (“my1521”) is available to answer questions about the rent refund.

Note: The November 2025 rent refund represents a significant new support for renters, combining tax data with social policy to deliver direct relief to over a million renting households across Greece.