A private loan has not been repaid in Greece: evidence and recovery options

Was the transfer a loan, a gift or another payment?

Money given to a friend, relative or business contact can have different purposes. A money loan involves an obligation to return the corresponding amount. The starting point is therefore what was agreed and how it can be established. A bank transfer is important evidence, but its purpose needs to be assessed alongside the rest of the material.

Record the amount, method of payment, purpose and repayment discussions. Without a signed agreement, do not assume either that recovery is impossible or that a single message will necessarily be sufficient. The available methods of proof and the appropriate procedure require a case-specific assessment under Greek law.

Putting the evidence together

Keep the complete relevant correspondence rather than isolated screenshots. Exchanges about the amount, receipt of the money and repayment can be useful. Preserve original files and dates without editing that changes the content or removes the context of a conversation.

Prepare a simple record of payments and repayments. Separate the principal from any interest or expenses you believe are owed, as each item needs a legal basis. If cash changed hands, note when and where this happened and who was present, without attempting to influence anyone's account.

• The agreement or written acknowledgment
• Bank records and payment references
• Complete repayment correspondence
• Partial repayments and any revised arrangement

When does repayment become due?

Check whether the parties agreed a date, instalments or a condition for repayment. The absence of a written date does not allow an arbitrary deadline to be chosen. Where repayment timing was neither agreed nor established by the circumstances, the Civil Code provides a specific rule involving notice terminating the loan.

Before a formal demand is sent or a repayment arrangement is signed, the wording, delivery method and limitation period should be checked. Do not assume that every reminder or extrajudicial notice automatically interrupts limitation. A new arrangement should clearly identify the amount, dates and how performance will be recorded.

Negotiation, mediation or a claim

Depending on the evidence and the parties' positions, options may include a written settlement, mediation or legal proceedings. A payment order is not available for every unpaid sum: statutory requirements and documentary evidence must be satisfied. The size of the debt alone does not determine the appropriate route.

For an initial consultation with a lawyer in Heraklion, bring the organised file and explain whether a lump-sum repayment or a realistic instalment arrangement is the priority. Costs, timing and prospects of collection can then be discussed without guaranteeing recovery. Failure to repay, by itself, is not enough to establish criminal fraud.