03/12/2025
Inheritance Reform in Greece. End of undivided shares. One heir will inherit the property.
After eight decades without meaningful updates, Greek inheritance law is being deeply overhauled to align with modern social and economic needs. The new provisions aim to stop the devaluation of real estate that remains unused because of the way it is jointly inherited, and to prevent situations where heirs do not want to manage the asset or are unable to do so.
A key change is the effective abolition of “ex adiairetou” undivided co-ownership, the well-known split shares among siblings. These situations arise when multiple heirs cannot agree on how to use a property, leading to long-term inactivity and degradation. Under the new rule, instead of dividing ownership into percentages, one person will acquire full ownership of the property and the other heir will receive financial compensation or another asset of equivalent value.
For example, when a parent leaves a property to one child, the second child will no longer automatically become a co-owner through the statutory share. Instead, they will receive equal compensation through a different asset. If there is a dispute, the heir can go to court, which will determine the amount of compensation and resolve the co-ownership issue definitively.
The goal is clear: to end the fragmentation of property into tiny shares that has led thousands of real estate assets to abandonment. At the same time, the new framework adjusts the rights and inheritance percentages for spouses and children.
Changes to the shares of spouses and children
When children and a surviving spouse inherit together, the spouse’s share increases from 25 percent to 33 percent if there is one child. If there are two or more children, the current ratio remains: 25 percent for the surviving spouse and 75 percent for the children.
A new right of residence is also introduced for the partner who remains in the shared home, even without marriage or a civil partnership. They may remain in the residence for at least three years, unless a different agreement is reached with the heirs.
New provisions for partners and property management
A major innovation concerns couples who live together without being married or having a civil partnership. If there are no children or other relatives, the surviving partner will be able to inherit the entire estate, preventing automatic transfer to the State, which is what happens today.
At the same time, property owners gain a new option: they may sell their home or holiday house while still alive, receive the money, and agree with the buyer to remain in the property for life. Alternatively, they can choose to stay in the property paying rent if they prefer leasing rather than a final sale.
These measures introduce modern tools for managing property, provide more flexibility, protect older owners, and reduce the risk of properties being abandoned.
