Find your Ideal Accommodation!

• StayInAthens

• Erasmus Accommodation in Thessaloniki by ESN facebook group

• Spitogatos.gr

• List from Erasmus Office

• Ads on bus stops & in the HEI campus

1. A non-hoax ad should always include the exact location (area, address, floor) & the size (usually in m2) of the flat, number of rooms and others parts of the flat (kitchen, bathroom, storeroom, balcony etc), as well as a short description and info about its facilities (heat, boiler etc).
2. Always look for explicit and specified communication details of the owner (email and telephone number).

Rotonda, Navarinou square, Agias Sofias, Olympou, Agiou Dimitriou area, Faliro-Theageneio, Evzonon and 40 Ekklisies are good choices, due to the short distance from the city’s centre and the multiple bus stops. In any case, we recommend that you look for a flat located close to the HEI you will attend, with easy access down-town.

1. The rental is of free negotiation between the parties; the flat Owner (“the Landlord”) and the flat Tenant (that is, you), binding for them both.

2. Seek for a written agreement to be signed upon the flat rental, although it is not obligatory for it to be written (verbal could do as well). However, it is of your benefit to have it in written form. The agreement should include the following (minimum);

   • Exact ID info of the Landlord (and yours as a Tenant), including address and VAT number (most preferably)

   • The agreed amount to be paid as Rental, as well as the exact date and the bank account for it to be paid/ placed

   • The indemnity amount to be pre-paid – further info below

   • The agreed duration time of the Rental – further info below

   • The amount of the maintenance (building) charges, as well as the frequency and the way for them to be paid – further info below

   • The commitment of the Landlord

     • to deliver the flat appropriate for use and in good condition – further info below

     • to refund the Tenant for any extra costs to be made on the rental

   • The commitment of the Tenant

     • To deliver the flat back to the Landlord in good condition, as delivered to him in the first place

     • Not to alter the flat significantly

   • The reasons & the way for the flat rental to be terminated – further info below

1. The Agreement has to be written in English, otherwise it is invalid; the Agreement has to be in a language that the Tenant has knowledge of and understands.

2. According to the Law, the Indemnity should not be more than the sum of two (2) rental fees, whereas the rental fee deposit is accepted for the current month only. The Agreement should also include the exact circumstances and the exact date upon which the Indemnity should be reimbursed to you.

3. According to the Law, the duration time of the Rental cannot be less than three (3) years; that means that the Tenant is protected against the Landlord and the Landlord cannot expel the Tenant (or force him to leave the flat) for at least 3 years, even if the Landlord wishes to use the flat for his own occupation. This applies for the Tenant as well, BUT if the Tenant leaves the flat on the agreed date, handling the keys to the Landlord (: stands as an act of termination of the rental), and next the Landlord accepts the termination  of the rental by accepting the keys back (or by not opposing to this), the rental is to be considered terminated.

4. Maintenance (building) Charges; the Agreement has to clearly state

   • Whether these charges are included in the flat rental fee (usually under the term ‘all included’), and

   • What these charges stand for explicitly and in details, regardless of whether they are included or not.

5. As for the flat to be delivered ‘appropriate for use and in good condition’; to avoid any problems, we suggest that you ask for a “Takeover Record” to be signed. A Takeover Record includes

   • a list of the rooms, furniture, paintings etc of the flat, and

   • the agreement that “the Landlord agrees to have delivered and the Tenant agrees to have received the above-mentioned flat and its above-mentioned furniture/ equipment in the condition described. The Parties further agree that damages within the context of normal & agreed use is acceptable”, and it is to be signed by both Parties, before the Tenant moves in the flat for good (the Date that the Rental starts); it is highly recommended that you check the apartment carefully beforehand. In case you decide not to sign such a Record, it is recommended that you do seek for the aforementioned term (under D.3.b) to be included in the Flat Rental Agreement.

6. Termination of the flat rental; it is highly recommended that you do perform the whole communication before and during the Rental in emails. Even if it is agreed that the Rental shall last for six (6) months (less or more), we suggest that you give notice for the upcoming termination of the Rental to your Landlord of at least one (1) month before it.

1. Be careful not to cause any damages in the flat. In case it happens that a damaged is caused, you should immediately inform the Landlord and take over the relative costs (in case that you are to be held responsible).

2. You should immediately inform the Landlord for any problems you might face with the equipment of the flat or other tenants of the building.

3. According to the Law, the ‘quiet times’ are the following:

   • 15:00 – 17:30 and 23:00 – 07:00 in summer period (1st of April – 30th of September)

   • 15:30 – 17:30 and 22:00 – 07:30 in winter period (1st of October – 31st of March).

Be careful; in case of not compliance, it is possible that a complaint is filed at the Police against you, which means that Police shall call you to the nearest police station, and then a judicial procedure will take place. In case of convict, you will need to pay a fine as ordered by the court.

4. The Landlord is obliged to register the flat rental in ‘TaxisNet’, a platform used for tax purposes by Greek Law and Authorities. For this reason, the Landlord might ask you for your VAT number. You are not obliged to have a greek VAT number, as a student participant in Erasmus+ program. For any other case, seek advice from the IRO of your HEI.

5. Make sure that your Landlord delivers you the relative receipt every time you place the Rental; in case of deposits into a bank account of his, make sure that you do take and keep the deposit receipt. The ID details of the person publishing the receipt should be the exact same ones of the Landlord. In case of bills not included in the rental, you reserve the right to pay upon getting fully informed; ask to see the relative bill for yourself (and any other time that you have any doubts).

1.Heating

Heating can be divided into two (2) categories as follows;

• Gas/ oil Heating, or  
• Electric Heating.

In any case, since it is possible that the electric heating is used for both room & water heating, you should ask for it to be explicitly included in the Agreement, so that you know what you are to pay for.

2.Electricity (in case it is not included in the flat rental)

Within a 4-month period, you shall be asked to pay for it twice;

• The first one is based on the electricity consumption of the same period a year ago (eg. for months Sept-Oct 2018 the bill is based on the consumption of Sept-Oct 2017), and
• The second one acts as balance to a potential difference between the supposed/estimated (as above) and the actual electricity consumption.

This means that in any case, you should be very careful of the electricity use; do not get much excited if the 1st bill seems low! The next one might be extremely high if you exaggerate on the electricity consumption!   

REMEMBER! There’s always ESN Thessaloniki(ESN AUTH ,ESN UOM, ESN ATEITH) and its volunteers to provide any help needed, as well as this year’s Erasmus FB group.