Greece Tightens Controls on Short-Term Rentals: AADE Launches Audits of 2025 Income

Traditional houses in Plaka, Athens, with the Acropolis walls in the background. (Photo: George E. Koronaios / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Greek tax authority, AADE, has launched a new wave of audits of the short-term rental market, focused on income earned during 2025, as eKathimerini reports. It is one of the broadest checks ever undertaken in this sector. In the fourth quarter of 2026, electronic cross-checks will intensify significantly: data from platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com and VRBO will be systematically compared with accommodation declarations and landlords’ tax returns.

Any discrepancy between the income reported by international platforms and that declared by landlords will bring steep fines, tax authorities warn. The measure aims to formalize a market that has grown strongly in recent years — especially in Athens and major tourist destinations — and to increase revenue to the state budget. Tourist-apartment owners are advised to verify and correct their declarations before the full launch of the checks, to avoid heavy financial penalties.