Property-owners in Greece with illegally built areas, typically in the basement or garage area, are being advised to apply to have these areas legalised, needless to say at a cost.

One way the cash-strapped Greek government is trying to raise money is by encouraging town planning offices to check on transgressors and impose fines on anyone not declaring their illegally converted areas. The amount of the fine will be calculated according to the size of the area in question, whether the home complies with zoning regulations, the value of property in the area and whether the house is the owner’s main residence.

The new law states that no house can be sold or passed on without a certificate from a civil engineer that confirms strict adherence to plans. Any owner should ensure that this is done before selling and, if you are buying a property, it is essential to check this before signing on the bottom line.

Illegal areas tend to be living spaces (known as “imyipaithroi” or semi-open in Greek) which were are shown on the original plans as balconies, garages or basements. The homeowner can declare these areas and for a small fine will be given documents that officially allow the area to be used in its “converted” state for the next 30 years without threat of demolition or further fines in the future. What happens after 30 years still undecided.

To see a range of properties for sale in Greece visit the Greece listings on Rightmove Overseas. Anyone who needs to transfer money to complete a property transaction in Greece should use a currency specialist to exchange their pounds into euros. For more information, contact Smart Currency Exchange.

To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in Greece, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘Greece Property Buying Guide’