Greece's new mediation code: rent and flat-owner disputes will need a mediation session before court

Anyone who owns or rents property in Greece is likely to face an extra step before a rent dispute reaches a judge. On 15 October 2026 the plenary of the Βουλή (Vouli, the Greek Parliament) passed the «Κώδικας Εναλλακτικής Επίλυσης Διαφορών» (Kodikas Enallaktikis Epilysis Diaforon), a Code of Alternative Dispute Resolution drafted by the Υπουργείο Δικαιοσύνης (Ypourgeio Dikaiosynis, the Ministry of Justice).³⁴ Under the bill as tabled, a court will not hear certain lawsuits unless the parties have first attended an introductory mediation session.¹ΕΛ The code has not yet appeared in the ΦΕΚ (FEK, the Government Gazette), so we describe the text as tabled, signed on 5 October 2026, which the plenary may have amended.¹

Which disputes need a mediation session first?

Article 15 of the bill as tabled lists the disputes covered.¹ One category is every dispute under Article 614 of the Κώδικας Πολιτικής Δικονομίας (Kodikas Politikis Dikonomias, the Code of Civil Procedure), with some exceptions and no general value threshold.¹ΕΛ Article 614 covers main or ancillary disputes arising from the lease of anything, or of another income-producing asset, and disputes between owners under horizontal or vertical property (οριζόντια ή κάθετη ιδιοκτησία: flats in a shared building, or separate buildings on a shared plot).²

By our reading of Article 15 together with Article 614, a landlord's claim for a few hundred euros of unpaid rent needs an introductory session, just like a large commercial lease dispute.¹ΕΛ² Mononews, a Greek news site, reached the same conclusion, saying lease disputes are covered "regardless of the size of the claim" (our translation).⁸

Labour disputes are among the exceptions.¹ΕΛ² The consultation draft had included them, and the ministry removed them.⁸⁹ Car-damage disputes are covered only from €60,000.¹ΕΛ⁸

The bill as tabled also covers cases heard under the ordinary procedure (τακτική διαδικασία) that are worth more than €20,000 and fall to the Μονομελές Πρωτοδικείο (Monomeles Protodikeio, the single-member court of first instance), and ordinary-procedure cases before the Πολυμελές Πρωτοδικείο (Polymeles Protodikeio, the multi-member court of first instance).¹ The consultation draft had set that threshold at €10,000.⁸ Current law, Law 4640/2019, applies its mandatory session to certain family disputes and to disputes worth more than €30,000.¹²

Do you have to settle?

No. Under the bill as tabled, the condition for the hearing is that an introductory session has taken place, not that the parties agree.¹ΕΛ The mediator may make a settlement proposal only if both parties ask for one jointly and in writing, and the proposal is not binding.⁸ The parties choose by agreement between mediation and judicial mediation (δικαστική μεσολάβηση, dikastiki mesolavisi), which is run by a judge rather than a private mediator; without agreement, the dispute goes to a mediation session.¹

By our reading of the bill as tabled, a court will not hear a lease lawsuit until an introductory mediation session has taken place.¹ΕΛ¹ΕΛ²

How long does the mediation step take?

The party bringing the claim invites the other side, either in the lawsuit itself or in a separate document.¹ Under the bill as tabled, the other side has 15 days to accept the method in writing, and the session must be completed within 20 days of the end of that period.¹ By our calculation, that is about five weeks from the invitation if both deadlines run in full.

Serving the invitation and holding the session both suspend (pause) the limitation period for the claim.¹ Going to mediation does not stop a party from seeking an interim measure or a provisional order from a court.¹

Who pays for the session?

Under the bill as tabled, the cost of the session is shared equally and paid in advance, in full, by the party that starts the process.¹ Efsyn, a Greek daily, reported that the tabled bill sets the mediator's fee for the introductory session at €150 when there is no written agreement on fees.⁹ By our calculation, that would mean €75 for each side, before lawyers' fees. If the case later goes to trial, the cost of the mediation step is awarded as part of the court costs.¹

What happens if the other side refuses?

A court may fine a party who refuses to take part, or fails to attend, without good reason.¹ The bill as tabled sets the fine at between €100 and €1,000.¹ΕΛ Under current law the range is €100 to €500.¹⁰ The court may also weigh the refusal when it awards costs.¹ The fine goes to ΤΑ.Χ.ΔΙ.Κ. (TACHDIK, the Ταμείο Χρηματοδότησης Δικαστικών Κτιρίων or Tameio Chrimatodotisis Dikastikon Ktirion), the fund that finances court buildings.⁵

When does the new code start?

The bill as tabled has a staggered start.¹ The code takes effect on publication in the Government Gazette, except for parts with their own dates.¹ Much of the mediation part starts on 1 January 2027, other articles on 1 September, 16 September and 1 October 2027, and judicial mediation on 16 September 2027.¹ The articles setting out the duty to attend (Articles 15 to 18) are in a part of the bill that has no date of its own, which would suggest they start on publication, but the mediation procedure itself is in the part with later dates.¹ We cannot tell from the tabled text which date governs the duty before a new rent lawsuit.

The Plenary of Greek Bar Associations (Ολομέλεια των Δικηγορικών Συλλόγων Ελλάδος, Olomeleia ton Dikigorikon Syllogon Ellados) had asked for a transition period starting on 16 September 2027.¹¹ Lawyers still object after the vote, and the Athens Bar (Δικηγορικός Σύλλογος Αθηνών, ΔΣΑ, Dikigorikos Syllogos Athinon) argues that the procedure burdens litigants.⁸

How did the parties vote?

Νέα Δημοκρατία (Nea Dimokratia, New Democracy) voted in favour, and the bill passed by majority.³⁴ KKE (Κομμουνιστικό Κόμμα Ελλάδας, Kommounistiko Komma Elladas, the Communist Party of Greece), Ελληνική Λύση (Elliniki Lysi, Greek Solution), ΣΥΡΙΖΑ (SYRIZA) and Νίκη (Niki, "Victory") voted against, and ΠΑΣΟΚ-ΚΙΝΑΛ (PASOK-KINAL) voted "present" («παρών»), a formal abstention.³⁴ At the committee stage on 14 October 2026, Deputy Justice Minister Ioannis Bougas said improvements would be tabled at the start of the plenary debate.¹³

What if you live abroad?

Current law exceptionally lets a party be represented at the mandatory session by their lawyer alone, under an authorisation, where it is shown that the party cannot attend in person, for example because they live abroad.¹⁰ It also extends the deadline for the session to the 30th day when a party lives abroad.¹⁰ The bill as tabled repeals Articles 1 to 33 of Law 4640/2019, among other provisions.¹ We have not established whether the new code keeps either rule for owners and tenants abroad.