10/21/2026
Property buyers often assume that verifying a property’s planning compliance is solely the seller’s responsibility or that of the engineer issuing the relevant certificate. However, purchasing a property with unresolved planning or building issues can expose the buyer to significant risks, including restrictions on future permits, complications with resale, potential fines, additional costs for legalisation, limitations on use, and a reduction in the property’s actual market value.
One of the most important steps is to establish whether the property’s existing condition corresponds to its approved plans and legal documentation. Buyers should verify which structures have been officially authorised, whether any unauthorised alterations have been regularised, and whether there are outstanding discrepancies that have not been properly documented. An engineer’s certificate alone should not replace a thorough examination of the building plans, legalisation records, and Electronic Building Identity.
The intended use of the property must also be taken into account. A property may be legally transferable without necessarily being suitable for the buyer’s planned purpose. Residential accommodation, office premises, commercial establishments, tourist facilities, and storage spaces are subject to different planning regulations and requirements. For this reason, the assessment should consider not only the property’s current legal status but also whether the intended use is permitted.
Potential complications are particularly common in older buildings, properties containing unauthorised constructions, ground-floor units that have undergone changes of use, basements converted into main living areas, rooftop structures, pilotis, and land located outside designated urban planning zones. In such cases, the way a property is presented or marketed may differ considerably from its actual legal and planning status.
To minimise these risks, buyers should request a comprehensive set of planning and building documents before signing the purchase agreement. This should include building permits, approved architectural plans, records of any regularisation of unauthorised works, the Electronic Building Identity, a topographical survey, applicable land-use regulations, and confirmation that the property can legally accommodate the intended use.
Verifying planning compliance is far more than a formal step in the conveyancing process. It is a fundamental part of assessing a property’s legal security, usability, and true market value.
Source: https://www.lawspot.gr/nomika-blogs/poleodomike-euthune-agoraste-akinetou/?fbclid=IwdGRleAVAVOhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBWZkaWQWUQc6PyH-lijok7I02hNC3poMMt49k3NydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR7S5OsFV5SNGQfqqbZpimRZ7BQw7pM-hDquTVVyXaj5ljQ3E1fKlmUmbaMcrQ_aem_S7ooLHahGwt3machjGmp8Q