ARTICLES AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Clear legal information for individuals, families, professionals and property owners dealing with matters in Crete.
Legal
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Practical articles on Greek family, civil, criminal, administrative and employment law, property, inheritance, leases, road accidents and mediation in Heraklion, Crete.
Articles by topic
All topics: 62 articles
Family Law
10 articlesDivorce when a spouse lives abroad
The place of marriage does not answer every question. What to assess when spouses live in different countries and how to prepare for a legal review in Crete.
Property after divorce and marital gains
Divorce does not automatically divide every asset in half. A marital-gains claim concerns an increase in one spouse's assets and the other's contribution, subject to legal conditions and deadlines.
Increasing or reducing child maintenance
Maintenance does not change automatically because earnings change or a child grows older. A useful review compares the existing arrangement with current needs and both parents' financial circumstances.
When child maintenance is not paid
The current arrangement and a detailed payment schedule are the starting point. Distinguishing arrears, enforcement and the need for a new maintenance order.
Divorce without agreement: getting prepared
A short history and clear priorities help organise the options for ending the marriage and addressing the family's immediate needs.
When contact arrangements are not followed
The current arrangement, specific events and the child's needs determine whether contact requires implementation, clarification or variation.
Domestic violence: help and protection
Safety comes first. Practical information on emergency help, reporting, preserving evidence safely and coordinating criminal protection with family arrangements.
Child custody, school and relocation
Day-to-day care and major decisions are different questions. What parents should check before changing a child's school or moving to another city.
Child support and contact after separation
Child support and contact are separate rights of the child. A workable arrangement needs clear terms, reliable financial information and stability in the child's daily life.
Digital divorce by mutual consent
The procedure is digital, but it requires full agreement, a separate lawyer for each spouse, a notary and specific arrangements where there are minor children.
Employment Law
7 articlesMissing insurance days: checking and claiming
You received your wages, but a month is missing from your insurance record. Compare the entries with your actual employment before seeking a correction.
Undeclared work: rights and complaints
An inspection of the business is different from your personal claim for wages or insurance days. Prepare the evidence and identify the appropriate procedure.
Foreign workers’ employment rights in Greece
An employment claim and the right to reside require separate assessment. Practical preparation for foreign workers in Heraklion and Crete.
Workplace accidents: notification and rights
After medical care, timely notification and reliable records matter. Reporting an accident is not the same as applying for a benefit or bringing a compensation claim.
When a fixed-term employment contract ends
Agreed expiry differs from an early termination. Reviewing the contract, payment records and the circumstances in which employment ended.
Unpaid wages and recovery of pay
Organising evidence of unpaid pay, understanding the Labour Inspectorate procedure and checking the consequences of your next employment decision.
Employee dismissal and claim deadlines
Time is critical after dismissal. Claims based on invalid termination and claims for unpaid statutory severance are subject to short and different extinguishing periods.
Land Registry & Property
12 articlesMediation in apartment-building disputes
An argument at a building meeting needs a structured next step. Organising documents, representation and practical proposals without overlooking co-owners’ rights.
Cadastral mediation and registry corrections
A property settlement needs a sound legal and technical basis. What to check before a session, how an inaccurate entry is addressed and what happens after agreement.
Mediation in inheritance disputes
Shared property does not mean shared priorities. How to organise a discussion about use, costs or ending co-ownership without overlooking rights and deadlines.
Cross-border inheritance and the European Certificate
The location of a property does not by itself determine the law governing an inheritance. Habitual residence, any choice of law and the countries involved need to be assessed first.
Selling property with an existing lease
A sale does not in itself mean that a tenant must leave. The existing lease, its evidence and any special terms need review before anyone promises vacant possession.
Property purchase deposit: before you pay
A request to pay a deposit to reserve a property is not, by itself, protection for the buyer. Check the property and the terms governing completion or repayment before committing funds.
Property without a deed: ownership and evidence
Long-term use and an E9 declaration must be assessed alongside the property's history, boundaries and legal status. Preparing for an initial legal assessment.
Wrong boundaries and area in the Cadastre
A difference in square metres is not always a simple clerical error. Deeds, cadastral diagrams, surveys and neighbouring property rights need to be considered together.
Greek Land Registry: choosing the correction
The correct procedure depends on the nature of the inaccuracy, the available documents, any ownership dispute and the deadline applying to the particular area.
Buying property in Crete from abroad
A purchase can be organised from abroad, but independent title, planning, cadastral and document checks should be completed before any binding commitment.
Correcting a Land Registry entry
An inaccurate Land Registry entry can affect a transfer, inheritance or property security. It is better to identify the issue early.
Title check before purchase
Before buying property, legal title review helps determine whether the property can be transferred safely.
Inheritance Law
6 articlesMediation in inheritance disputes
Shared property does not mean shared priorities. How to organise a discussion about use, costs or ending co-ownership without overlooking rights and deadlines.
Cross-border inheritance and the European Certificate
The location of a property does not by itself determine the law governing an inheritance. Habitual residence, any choice of law and the countries involved need to be assessed first.
Co-heirs and partition of inherited property
Inherited property does not have to remain in deadlock. How to organise a possible agreement or partition, starting with ownership records, value and the applicable legal regime.
Inherited property: the first documents
An inheritance file needs more than a property deed. How to organise family records, a will search and information about the estate before deciding on the next step.
New Greek Inheritance Law 2026
The new framework changes liability for estate debts, forced heirship and succession planning. The date of death is decisive.
Inheritance disclaimer in 2026
An inheritance should not be disclaimed automatically. The applicable regime, date of death, liabilities and the heir's previous acts must be reviewed first.
Lease Law
5 articlesSelling property with an existing lease
A sale does not in itself mean that a tenant must leave. The existing lease, its evidence and any special terms need review before anyone promises vacant possession.
Unpaid rent: preparing the landlord's file
An accurate account helps distinguish recovering rent, ending a tenancy and lawfully recovering possession of the property.
When should a rental deposit be returned?
A deposit is not automatically forfeited or interchangeable with the final month's rent. The agreement and evidence of the final account both matter.
Recovering property after lease expiry
Expiry of a fixed-term lease can now support a return order, subject to statutory conditions. Written evidence and notice periods are critical.
Lease law issues
Lease relationships need clear terms and careful handling, especially when rent arrears, damage, termination or handover disputes arise.
Road Traffic Accidents
8 articlesA rental-car accident in Crete
Third-party insurance does not answer every hire-company charge. Records to keep and points to check before accepting a demand or signing a document.
Drink-driving: fines and licence withdrawal
The recorded reading, driver category and previous offences need separate review. Paying a fine is not necessarily the end of a drink-driving case.
Car licences, scooters and code 121
Greece has not imposed a blanket abolition of car-to-motorcycle licence equivalences. The answer depends on the vehicle category, your licence history, age and recorded entitlements.
Traffic tickets and licence withdrawal
The fine, licence withdrawal and objection deadline are separate issues. How to prepare the file promptly without assuming that an objection automatically restores your right to drive.
Motorcycle accidents and compensation
Responsibility for the collision and contribution to the severity of an injury are different questions. What to preserve so a motorcycle accident claim can be assessed properly.
Accidents with uninsured or unidentified vehicles
Missing insurance or a vehicle leaving the scene changes the route of a claim. What to collect and check before seeking compensation.
First steps after an accident
The first steps after a road traffic accident can affect safety, evidence and any later compensation claim.
Traffic accident compensation
A traffic accident claim may involve more than vehicle damage. Injury, expenses, loss of income and non-material harm may also be relevant.
Mediation
5 articlesMediation in apartment-building disputes
An argument at a building meeting needs a structured next step. Organising documents, representation and practical proposals without overlooking co-owners’ rights.
Cadastral mediation and registry corrections
A property settlement needs a sound legal and technical basis. What to check before a session, how an inaccurate entry is addressed and what happens after agreement.
Mediation in inheritance disputes
Shared property does not mean shared priorities. How to organise a discussion about use, costs or ending co-ownership without overlooking rights and deadlines.
Mediation: from dispute to agreement
An accurate account, realistic proposals and specific terms of performance: what to organise before meeting the mediator.
Family mediation
Family mediation can help parties seek workable solutions with less conflict and greater respect for family balance.
Civil Law
12 articlesMediation in apartment-building disputes
An argument at a building meeting needs a structured next step. Organising documents, representation and practical proposals without overlooking co-owners’ rights.
A rental-car accident in Crete
Third-party insurance does not answer every hire-company charge. Records to keep and points to check before accepting a demand or signing a document.
Property after divorce and marital gains
Divorce does not automatically divide every asset in half. A marital-gains claim concerns an increase in one spouse's assets and the other's contribution, subject to legal conditions and deadlines.
Selling property with an existing lease
A sale does not in itself mean that a tenant must leave. The existing lease, its evidence and any special terms need review before anyone promises vacant possession.
Workplace accidents: notification and rights
After medical care, timely notification and reliable records matter. Reporting an accident is not the same as applying for a benefit or bringing a compensation claim.
Bank-account attachment and protected deposits
Who imposed the attachment and where the money came from are important. Declaring an account to AADE does not replace every other form of protection for bank deposits.
Interim measures and temporary orders in Greece
Urgent protection does not finally resolve a dispute. Understand the purpose of interim measures, prepare evidence of urgency and check the steps needed after an order is issued.
Vulnerable debtor certificate in Greece
The certificate depends on household eligibility and has a limited validity period. Learn how to apply, how it affects debt settlement and why it is not a standalone suspension of an auction.
Out-of-court debt settlement in Greece
An online application is only the first step. Learn which records to prepare, how to assess a settlement proposal and why an auction or primary residence needs special attention.
Private loans: when the money is not repaid
A bank transfer does not explain the entire agreement. What to gather before seeking repayment and how the available evidence shapes the next step.
A payment order: what to do after service
A payment order is not an ordinary debt reminder. What to keep after service and why contacting the creditor is not enough to protect your position.
Receiving an exodiko: first steps
The content, service date and underlying dispute determine the significance of an exodiko. A practical approach to an initial legal assessment.
Criminal Law
6 articlesDrink-driving: fines and licence withdrawal
The recorded reading, driver category and previous offences need separate review. Paying a fine is not necessarily the end of a drink-driving case.
Online fraud: evidence and first steps
A false advertisement or deceptive message can result in financial loss. Notifying your bank quickly and preserving digital material are separate steps that should proceed in parallel.
Criminal reports and complaints in Greece
Greek criminal reports and complaints are often described using the same word. The distinction can affect who must act, the procedure and the deadline.
Arrest in Greece: your first procedural rights
An arrest or an expedited procedure is not a finding of guilt. Which rights matter immediately and how relatives can assist with preparation.
Domestic violence: help and protection
Safety comes first. Practical information on emergency help, reporting, preserving evidence safely and coordinating criminal protection with family arrangements.
A summons for unsworn explanations
Read the summons promptly and establish the capacity in which you are called. Documents and information that help a lawyer assess the next steps.
Administrative Law
9 articlesMissing insurance days: checking and claiming
You received your wages, but a month is missing from your insurance record. Compare the entries with your actual employment before seeking a correction.
Foreign workers’ employment rights in Greece
An employment claim and the right to reside require separate assessment. Practical preparation for foreign workers in Heraklion and Crete.
Drink-driving: fines and licence withdrawal
The recorded reading, driver category and previous offences need separate review. Paying a fine is not necessarily the end of a drink-driving case.
Bank-account attachment and protected deposits
Who imposed the attachment and where the money came from are important. Declaring an account to AADE does not replace every other form of protection for bank deposits.
Traffic tickets and licence withdrawal
The fine, licence withdrawal and objection deadline are separate issues. How to prepare the file promptly without assuming that an objection automatically restores your right to drive.
Prior hearing and administrative decisions
Presenting your position before an adverse administrative measure is an important procedural right. Learn what to check in the notice and how to prepare an evidence-based response.
Asking for an administrative decision to be reconsidered
An adverse decision by a public authority requires a specific response. When administrative reconsideration may be available and what it does not guarantee.
Access to public documents and file copies
Understanding an administrative decision often requires its supporting file. What to request, how to submit the application and which restrictions may apply.
Administrative fines: decisions and deadlines
The correct challenge depends on the type of fine. Keep the full decision, the supporting file and evidence of how it was communicated.
The articles are for general information only and do not replace tailored legal advice for a specific matter.