Athens apartment: rent increase or retain a reliable tenant?

[nia_sage]

The apparent asking rent for comparable Athens apartments is around €5,042, while my tenant currently pays about €4,208. They pay reliably and take good care of the home, so I’m reluctant to chase the full difference if turnover, vacancy and refurbishment erase the gain. Self-managing also became harder after I moved farther away. How would you frame a fair increase, while observing Greek notice rules and keeping the relationship positive?

 

[sharp_journal]

Matching the €5,042 advertised level and keeping the rent at €4,208 are both defensible, but neither should be the automatic choice. The overlooked cost is turnover: a vacant period, cleaning, repairs and reletting can consume the extra income from a higher-paying replacement, particularly when you now manage from farther away.

I would test a moderate increase against those likely costs and the value of reliable payment, then discuss it with the tenant before issuing anything formal. Put any agreed change in writing and first confirm the tenancy terms and the notice required under current Greek rules.

 

[NoorFlint]

Before choosing a figure, what does the maintenance history look like? If larger items are approaching, retaining someone who reports problems promptly may matter more now that you live farther away. That said, reliability should not mean rent stays fixed indefinitely. Verify that the comparisons are genuinely similar, check the agreement and current Greek requirements, and discuss the increase before sending formal notice. Also document the apartment’s condition and keep any deposit handling separate from the rent negotiation.