Rent refund: What to look out for to secure your payment – The key steps

Nearly one million households fall within the scope of the government’s rent-refund scheme — one of the measures introduced as part of its efforts to ease the ongoing housing crisis.

The benefit is expected to be credited on Friday, just before the end of the month, provided that beneficiaries have a valid bank account (IBAN) declared with the Tax Administration.

Key points

A crucial requirement for unlocking eligibility — beyond the income and asset criteria — is the existence of an electronic rental declaration (rental information declaration) for the property.

It is also important to note that for tenants with outstanding rent payments, the refund may be reduced or even zero. The calculation is based on the amount reported in the landlord’s E2 form as actually received rental income.

Additionally, in cases where false information is submitted, the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) will carry out automatic cross-checks. If discrepancies are found, the subsidy must be returned with interest, calculated at an annual rate of 8.76%. Beneficiaries may also be excluded from the scheme for three years.

If a beneficiary does not receive the payment despite being eligible, they may file an objection and submit the required supporting documents. Ιndividuals may submit a request for review to the competent tax office through the “My Requests” (Ta Aitimata Mou) service on the myAADE digital portal, attaching the necessary documentation.

The request must be submitted no later than 31 December 2025.

Eligibility criteria

The rent-refund benefit is granted automatically — no application required — based on the information contained in the beneficiary’s income tax return, as it stands on the final working day of September.

Amount of the benefit

Primary residence: Up to €800 per year. This amount is increased by €50 for each dependent child.

Student housing: Up to €800 per year for each student.

The refund corresponds to one-twelfth (1/12) of the total rent paid in 2024.

If multiple consecutive leases were in effect, the amount is calculated on the basis of the total rent paid across all contracts.

Beneficiaries

To qualify, beneficiaries must meet specific income and asset criteria depending on the type of residence (primary or student).

For primary residence

Income criteria (annual family income):

• Single individuals: up to €20,000.
• Married couples / Civil-partnership couples: up to €28,000, plus €4,000 per dependent child.
• Single-parent families: up to €31,000, plus €5,000 for each additional dependent child after the first.

Asset criteria:

The total taxable value of real estate (based on ENFIA data for the year of payment) must not exceed:

• €120,000 for single persons.
• €120,000 + €20,000 for the spouse/partner and each additional dependent child.

For student housing

Only the income criteria above are considered, regardless of whether the student residence is declared on the parents’ income tax return or as the student’s main residence.

Necessary conditions to receive the refund

To receive the rent refund:

1. An electronic rental declaration (rental information declaration) must have been filed with AADE by 15 July 2025.
2. The declaration number must be entered in the beneficiary’s 2024 income tax return (E1 form, Table 6).
   This number may also be included in a late-submitted tax return without penalties, provided it is filed by the final working day of September.
3. If the lease has been amended, only the latest rental declaration number must be reported.

If the lease number was not entered in the E1 form, AADE will cross-check the tenant’s tax return and the active rental declaration.

If the tenancy details match — via the declared electricity supply number — the benefit will still be paid.

The amount paid will be based on the higher of:

• the rent declared in the active rental information declaration, and
• the rent declared by the landlord in their income tax return.

Special cases

If the landlord:

• is not required to submit an electronic rental declaration (e.g., the State), or
• submits a handwritten rental declaration (e.g., minors),

then beneficiaries must submit the necessary supporting documents (lease agreement, proof of rent payment, proof of studies) to AADE by 20 October 2025 through the “My Requests” service on myAADE (myaade.gov.gr).
Submitting these documents is necessary in order for the benefit to be paid by end-November 2025.

If documents are submitted after 20 October 2025, and no later than 31 December 2025, the payment will be made at a later date.

Objections

In certain cases of non-payment — specifically due to:

• incorrect application of asset criteria for student housing,
• non-payment of the subsidy for all student residences in a household, or
• payment of a lower amount than the one included in the beneficiary’s tax return (E1), based on the contractually agreed rent

Beneficiaries may submit objections by 31 December 2025 via “My Requests” on myAADE, attaching the required documents (lease, proof of studies, bank proof of rent payments) to the competent tax office.

Bank transfer required

A new ministerial decision (effective 1 January 2026) will require all rent payments to be made via bank transfer to the landlord’s account.

The rent refund will be paid in a single installment to the IBAN declared on myAADE, under:

• Registry & Communication → IBAN Declaration,
• or through the myAADE app under Contact Details → IBAN.

Warning on IBAN registration

Around 70,000 tax-refund beneficiaries and 30,000 rent-subsidy beneficiaries are awaiting payment but have not declared an IBAN, according to AADE.

More than 100,000 individuals will receive direct notifications instructing them to register a bank account.

How to declare your IBAN

According to AADE instructions:

1. Log in to the myAADE digital portal using your TAXISnet credentials.
2. Go to Registry & Communication → IBAN Declaration.
3. Enter your bank account number, ensuring it is active and in your name.

For assistance, taxpayers may contact AADE’s support service “my1521”:

• By phone at 1521 (free of charge), Monday–Friday, 7:00–20:00.
• Digitally, 24/7 via my1521, selecting: Registry → Individuals/Legal Entities → Contact Details → IBAN Declaration.