Greece Commercial Maintenance: Who Pays for HVAC?
Repair duties in Greek commercial leases. Understanding repair caps and common area maintenance (koinochrista).
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While in housing a water heater "costs 200 Euros", in Commercial/Industrial Leases (Mall or Warehouse), a roof HVAC chiller (Air-condition) costs «40,000 Euros». Determining who signs the repair check in Greece (Landlord or Company-Tenant?) is the Alpha and Omega of profitability.
1. The Fallback: What the Civil Code Says
(If there was no Contract)
If the Lease (New Law) was completely silent (unlikely in B2B), the Civil Code in Greece treats the professional "Tenant" exactly like the private individual.
- The Landlord pays for "Heavy" maintenance and interior replacement ("Maintenance in Suitable Condition") - e.g., Plumbing, Central Heating, and the shell.
- The Tenant is responsible for "operational" office consumables (bulbs, cleaning the grease trap of their restaurant).
We learn the law, only to know why... we Completely Delete It! In the Commercial Corporate Sector (B2B) of Greece, landlords impose 100% "European" brutal contracts.
2. Shell & Core: "You Receive it with the Brick"
The most basic tactic in Athens in large office complexes is called Shell and Core. The Landlord (Real Estate Fund) builds only the concrete walls (shell) and the elevators/stairs (Core).
- The Setup Cost (Fit-Out): Any IT wiring, drywall, floor or dropped ceiling the Multinational (The Tenant) needs to operate, is built at 100% cost to the Tenant during the first - often tax-free/free-rent month (100% risk on the business).
What happens with Maintenance?
- "Everything is Paid by the Business": In the Private Agreement a clause of "Assignment of the Maintenance Articles of the C.C." is written. The Tenant business signs that "Whatever damage the central office wiring, their roof HVAC, or their toilet plumbing suffers, constitutes the entirely exclusive expense of the Lessee".
- The Roof Limit (Structural Duty): A Red Line is formed (Known as "Interface Matrix"). The Landlord pays the structural (steel/concrete reinforcements), the Exterior Glass/Facades and the Roof Insulation (so it doesn't rain inside). For everything else (INTERNAL Machinery, Boiler, Security Cameras), the wallet opens exclusively by the Tenant Company.
3. Departure (Dismantling) - The Right to "Keep / Tear Down"
In (B2B) Contracts the following phenomenon often occurs when the 3-year/10-year Commercial Contract expires. The businessman built a "Huge Cold Storage" worth 200,000€ inside the Landlord's Concrete:
- By contract, the Landlord maintains a clause stating: "Improvements and additions remain to the benefit of the Landlord, without compensation, (The Owner Keeps It)".
- However, if the Landlord DOES NOT want them (because the next client is a Software Company and doesn't want the Refrigerators), the Landlord has the legal right to demand (Reparation Clause): "The Tenant at their own expense MUST TEAR DOWN the entire construction and hand over the concrete clean to ME!".
This offers a totally advantageous, unilateral power to the Real Estate Investor! This is secured only through a hefty Commercial Bank Letter of Guarantee (Deposit) of 4-6 months at the start, which is held tightly if the Tenant "plays dumb" and leaves the metal frames there.
Substantive Legal Guidance in Greece
Detailed guide on 'A-work', 'B-work', and 'C-work' categories which are becoming standard in modern Greek office park leases. This is critical because the Greek courts prioritize the 'protection of the tenant's primary residence' while providing accelerated tools for landlords in cases of definite non-payment. Failures to accurately register leases on the TAXISnet portal can lead to your legal actions being dismissed and may result in heavy fines from the AADE tax authority.
Compliance Strategy for Greece Property Owners
Managing a rental portfolio in Greece requires a blend of digital compliance (TAXISnet) and traditional legal procedures (Exodiko). Owners must ensure that every lease is registered within 30 days of signing to maintain standing in court. also, tracking the 3-year statutory minimum is essential for financial planning, as it limits when rent can be negotiated to market rates. Landager's specialized Greek compliance engine automates these reminders and provides a secure vault for certificates like the EPC (PEA) and Electrical Safety checks (YDE), ensuring you're always ready for an inspection or a new tenant onboarding process.
How Landager Helps
Landager tracks lease terms, CAM fee audit tools, and structural asset tracking - making it easy to stay compliant with Greece regulations.
Back to Greece Landlord-Tenant Laws Overview.
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