F.A.Q.

Frequently Asked Questions

JT Law Sydney offices (in 2010)

My grandmother has passed away recently and she has left by will her house in Greece to my cousin and me. What should I do to bring Title under our name? 09-08-2010

A: You have to proceed with the "acceptance of inheritance" of your real estate in Greece and the registration of the deed with the competent Land Registry (Ypothikofilakeion) and/or the Land Registry Cadastral (Ktimatologio) in order to bring the Title under your name. This includes probating the Will before the competent Court of First Instance, procuring certificates of closest relatives, filing inheritance tax statements, drafting and executing the Acceptance Deed and registering same, etc. The lawyers of our Greek law firm, through their 30-year experience in Estate law matters in Greece, can represent you before all competent authorities in order to procure all the necessary documents and of course, can efficiently assist you in every step of this procedure, so as to bring the Title of your Greek real estate property under your name.

My parents, who have passed away 6 years ago, have left me and my two older brothers an apartment in Athens. My oldest brother, who actually lives in the apartment with his wife and his two kids, gives me nothing all these years and he denies even my access to the property. What can I do to take whatever it's mine? 09-08-2010

A: You have the right to claim compensation of usage of the property due to the fact that your brother denies the access to a property that partly belongs to you. You also have the right to proceed with a partition lawsuit. Considering the fact that we handle hundreds of cases related to property matters in Greece every year, trying to best represent our clients' interests, our Greek law firm can effectively assist you on this matter by representing you before the Greek Courts and litigating against your relatives as appropriate.

I want to convey to my children a part of my property in Greece. Can I proceed with that through a parental gift, while they are 15 and 17 years old today? 09-08-2010

A: Yes, you can proceed through a "parental gift" to your children, even though they have not reached the age of 18. The parents, on behalf of their under age children, can execute the relevant Notarial Deed. Our Greek law firm, being fully familiar with the procedure, can assist you efficiently towards the lawful execution of the parental gift and its subsequent registration with the archives of the competent Land Registry and/ or Land Registry Cadastral of the property's location.

Is it possible that I convey my house in Peloponessos to my grandson without the interfering of my children? 09-08-2010

A: Yes. You can proceed through a gift deed for the conveyance of your real estate property in Greece. According to Greek real estate law, the execution of a Notarial Deed is required as well as its registration with the archives of the competent Land Registry and/ or Land Registry Cadastral of the property's location. Our Greek solicitors have handled hundreds of similar cases and therefore they are experts in assisting you with any issue regarding this matter, such as procuring, drafting and executing the relevant documents including the Greek Power of Attorney, gift tax statements, tax and municipal tax clearances, the gift Deed etc.

My dad, who has passed away, had a Greek passport. Can I get Greek passport too? Do I really need it? 09-08-2010

A: Yes, you can obtain a Greek passport under the condition that you acquire the Greek citizenship first. Generally, in order for a person to have his/her nationality recognised, he/she must prove uninterrupted sequence of Greek origin. We, as Greek lawyers, can handle effectively the entire procedure for the recognition of your Greek Nationality before the Greek Authorities which includes various steps such as the issuance of a Decision by the Prefecture, the registration of your birth certificate with the Athens Special Registry and the registration with a Greek Municipality. With a Greek passport you may travel, live and work not only to Greece, but also to all member States of the European Union.

I have missed the first deadline to register my property in Thessaloniki to the Greek Ktimatologio. What can I do now? Do I risk losing it? 09-08-2010

A: No. Considering that Thessaloniki is one of the areas where the procedure of registration to the Greek Ktimatologio has not been officially terminated by the final suspension, you don't risk losing your property. Taking into consideration that you are behind schedule, you can file the statements for the registration of your property before the competent Land Registry Cadastral. Potentially, you will have to pay a fine, for this delay. We, as Greek solicitors, can assist you efficiently and promptly with drafting and filing the relevant statements before the Greek Land Registry Cadastral (wherever that might be in Greece).

Three years ago I had given to my sister-in-law a general Power of Attorney so that she would sell my property in Kalamata, deposit the money to my bank account and send me every month a certain amount of money. I wish I could cancel this POA today, but I've been told that I can't. Is that right? 09-08-2010

A: No. Should you wish so, you may revoke this Power of Attorney. Our Greek law firm has handled hundreds of similar cases for many Greeks abroad. We, as Greek lawyers, can assist you all the way from drafting the Power of Attorney that revokes the powers given to the grantee, up to serving on the grantee its revocation, according to the provisions of Greek Law.

I live in Sydney and I need to do a Power of Attorney to my daughter who is leaving to Greece with her family for holidays in a couple of days. I need this POA to be settled within a week! Is there any chance that you can help me? 09-08-2010

A: Of course! Our Greek law firm has handled promptly similar cases where a Greek Power of Attorney was required in short term. Our Greek solicitors are fully familiar with drafting a Power of Attorney, including the proper range of orders, varying upon each individual case's particulars and needs.

I own a property with a house in it in Rhodes. My mother had left me the property after she had passed away. The last seven years I've given permission to my cousin and his family to use my property and stay in the house for a period of two months approximately every year. Do I risk losing it one day? How can I be sure that my cousin won't do anything to take my own property? 09-08-2010

A: Had your permission be given orally, you must be cautious with relatives, residing in and making use of your real estate property in Greece. With our many years of experience, we, as Greek solicitors can help you preserve your ownership rights and avoid any possible adverse possession claims, by executing the proper agreement, so that it is beyond doubt that your cousin and its family have only the right of "free use" of the property and that your ownership rights are not jeopardised.

I have property in Kythera and learned that I should declare it to the 'Ktimatologio'. What should I do? 09-08-2010

A: The registration starts with the submission of property statements to the Greek Cadastral Survey Offices (grafeio Ktimatografisis). Every person who is a Greek real estate property owner, or has relevant rights on real estate property in Greece, is obliged to declare such property/rights at the relevant Cadastral Survey Offices. Specifically: a)The Deed to the property; b)Passport copy; c) Document depicting the Greek tax registration number of the property/right owner; and d) Receipt of payment of the Ktimatologio fees (approx 35 Euros per each property right), must be submitted before the relevant Ktimatologio authorities.
Until the Greek Government's further notice of the date when this submission begins, owners of real Estate in Greece are advised to take care of any delayed or pending legal actions regarding their property rights, so that they don't face complications and delays during the submission period which, following its commencement announcement expires in 6-9 months.
Where the acquisition of property rights derives from an Inheritance of real estate in Greece, the right holders are advised to proceed first with the Inheritance Acceptance, according to which they "accept" the Greek Inheritance (bequeathed to them either by Will or Intestate [no Will] succession). This Acceptance should afterwards be registered at the relevant Greek Land registry (Ypothikofulakeio) of the area where the property is located. This way, the heirs become legally the property owners/right holders and acquire the Title Deed in Greece (the title "passes" to their name), which proves such ownership.
The entire transaction and registration of ownership rights at the relevant Ktimatologio authorities, as well as the Inheritance Acceptance procedure, can be effected through a Special (Limited) Power of Attorney, by qualified and experienced Greek lawyers, like our Greek law firm.

Get in touch

Please choose an option below:

Australia

John Tripidakis
Telephone: 0402 751 102
Facsimile: 02 8255 8395
mail@greeklawyers.com.au

Sydney
JT Law
Suite 5, Level 12,
53 Martin Place,
Sydney, NSW 2000

Melbourne
JT Law Melbourne Offices
207 Montague Street,
South Melbourne, VIC 3205

Greece

John Tripidakis & Associates Athens
38 Tataki Street,
Glyfada 166 75