Start with a personal recommendation from someone who knows the local area. Then give the tradesperson a clear description of the job, send photographs and agree who will provide access.
A recommendation is useful, but the arrangements matter too. Vague instructions, short notice and uncertainty about access can make a straightforward repair harder to organise.
You are in Athens for five days. The bathroom tap is dripping, a window shutter is sticking and the air conditioning needs servicing. A plumber promises to come tomorrow, then the next day, then the day after that. By Saturday, you are boarding your flight home and the tap is still dripping.
For owners abroad, the challenge is finding someone suitable and getting the work completed within a limited visit.
This guide explains where to find tradespeople, what to check before hiring them, how to brief them when you do not speak Greek, and how to arrange repairs after you have left.
Why Repair Appointments Fall Through
A missed appointment does not always have the same cause. However, several practical problems can make repairs difficult to schedule.
The Job Is Too Vague
“Can you look at a leak?” gives the tradesperson very little information.
It might mean replacing a small fitting, investigating concealed pipework or tracing water entering from another apartment. Without photographs or a clear description, it is difficult to estimate the time, tools and materials needed.
Describe what you can see without assuming you know the cause.
The Booking Is Left Until the Last Minute
A busy tradesperson may not be available during your short visit.
Contact them before you travel, explain your dates and ask whether they can realistically complete the work within that period. Specialist parts or a second appointment may be needed.
Access Has Not Been Arranged
The tradesperson needs to know who will open the apartment, how to contact that person and whether someone will remain during the work.
“Call me when you arrive” is not a workable plan if you will be on a flight or back at work in another country.
There Is a Language Misunderstanding
A telephone conversation can leave both sides with different ideas about the fault, the price or the appointment.
Photographs, model labels and a short written brief help reduce that uncertainty.
Holidays Affect Availability
Availability can be more limited around public holidays and during the August holiday period.
Ask about working dates rather than assuming the business will operate normally throughout your visit.
Good preparation cannot guarantee attendance, but it makes the appointment easier to organise and reduces avoidable misunderstandings.
Where to Find Tradespeople in Athens
Ask Your Building Manager and Neighbours
Your building manager, other owners and local friends may know tradespeople who have recently completed similar work.
Someone who already works in the building may understand its plumbing, electrical systems or access arrangements.
Ask what work they completed, whether they arrived as agreed and whether any problems were resolved afterwards.
Our guide explains what a building manager, or diaxeiristis, does in a Greek apartment building.
Check the Building’s Existing Contractors
Find out which plumber, electrician or specialist contractor the building already uses.
However, do not assume the building manager will organise private work inside your apartment. Agree who is booking the appointment, approving the cost and providing access.
Contact the Original Installer
For equipment such as air conditioners, boilers and solar water heaters, the original installer or authorised service provider can be a useful starting point.
They may already know the model, installation and service history.
If you have a solar water heater, our guide covers maintenance, leaks and winter care in Greece.
Use Online Reviews to Build a Shortlist
Look for recent reviews that describe work similar to yours.
Pay attention to comments about communication, arrival times, invoices and follow-up repairs. Ask for examples of relevant work where appropriate.
Reviews help you shortlist providers, but they do not replace checking qualifications and agreeing the job in writing.
Confirm the Working Language
If you need an English-speaking tradesperson, ask directly before booking.
It helps to distinguish between a company with an English-speaking office and an installer who can discuss the work with you on site.
A competent Greek-speaking tradesperson can also be a good choice when someone locally can translate the brief, discuss changes and check the outcome.
How to Check a Tradesperson Before Hiring Them
Check the Relevant Professional Credentials
Ask whether the person is authorised to carry out the particular work you need.
Electrical work requires the appropriate professional entitlement for the activity. Greece’s licensing framework includes Presidential Decree 108/2013, as reflected in the official regional guidance on electrical installer licences.
For air conditioning and heat pumps, ask for the certification required for the equipment, refrigerant and work involved. Relevant activities are covered by EU certification rules.
A general handyman recommendation is not enough for work requiring a specialist qualification.
Get the Scope and Price in Writing
An email or clear written message should explain:
- What work is included.
- Which materials or replacement parts will be supplied.
- The labour charge.
- Any call-out or diagnostic fee.
- Whether VAT is included.
- The expected timing.
- What is excluded.
- Any warranty offered for the work or parts.
For a fault that needs investigation, a final repair price may not be possible before the first visit. In that case, agree the diagnostic charge and require approval before further work begins.
“We’ll see when I get there” is not a complete price agreement.
Agree How Extra Work Will Be Approved
A tradesperson may discover another fault or find that a part needs replacing.
Agree that additional work and costs must be explained and approved before proceeding, unless you have given a specific written spending limit.
Ask for photographs where you are approving the change remotely.
Expect an Invoice or Receipt
Keep a proper invoice or receipt describing the work and any parts supplied.
It helps establish what was done, supports any warranty claim and provides evidence if a dispute arises.
How to Brief a Tradesperson When You Do Not Speak Greek
Keep the brief short, factual and easy to follow.
Include photographs of the fault, a short video if movement or noise is involved, and the model label of any relevant appliance.
A clear photograph of a boiler label is usually more useful than trying to describe the equipment over the phone.
| Information | What to include |
|---|---|
| Location | Address, floor and access instructions |
| Fault | What is happening and where |
| Timing | When it started and whether it is getting worse |
| Evidence | Photographs, video and equipment model |
| Previous action | What has already been checked or repaired |
| Requested work | Inspection, diagnosis, servicing or an agreed repair |
| Access contact | Name and phone number of the person attending |
| Approval | Who must approve the price and any additional work |
A simple message might read:
The bathroom basin tap is dripping even when fully closed. The problem started last week. I have attached photographs and a short video. Please confirm your inspection charge and availability. The apartment is on the third floor, and my local contact will provide access. Please obtain written approval before replacing parts or carrying out additional work.
A translation app can help, but have a Greek speaker check important instructions where possible, particularly the scope and payment terms.
Confirm the appointment in writing, including the date, arrival window and access contact.
How to Reduce Missed Appointments
Book Before You Travel
Contact tradespeople before arriving in Athens.
Tell them when you will leave and allow time for diagnosis, parts and a possible return visit. Avoid leaving every repair until the final day.
Confirm the Appointment
Send a message the day before to confirm the arrival window and access arrangements.
If necessary, check again that morning. Ask the tradesperson to contact your local representative if they are delayed.
Give Them One Access Contact
Provide one named person who can open the property and answer practical questions.
Make sure that person has the brief and understands which decisions require your approval.
Agree a Sensible Payment Schedule
For a small repair, payment on completion may be appropriate.
Larger jobs or ordered materials may require a deposit or staged payments. Agree the amounts and milestones in writing, keep payment records and avoid paying the entire job upfront without a clear reason and suitable protection.
Check the Result Before the Tradesperson Leaves
Where possible, test the repaired item while the tradesperson is still there:
- Run the tap and check accessible connections for leaks.
- Open and close the repaired shutter.
- Test the light or switch through its normal controls.
- Ask the technician to demonstrate the serviced appliance.
For specialist work, request the relevant test results or documentation rather than relying only on appearance.
Photograph the completed work and record anything that remains outstanding.
What if the Repair Is Not Finished Before You Leave?
Arrange who will hold the keys, provide access and attend any follow-up appointment.
Give that person the agreed scope, contractor details, price and approval instructions.
Our guides explain how to find a trusted person to look after your Athens home and how to coordinate home repairs in Athens without being there.
“A clear brief and reliable access make a real difference. Send photographs, put the work and price in writing, and have someone available to speak with the tradesperson and check the repair. If the owner leaves before the job is finished, the arrangements should still be clear.”
Yanis Zisis, Founder of Home Watch Athens
What to Do if the Work Is Poor or the Fault Returns
Contact the tradesperson in writing.
Explain what is wrong, attach photographs or video, and refer to the original agreement. Ask how they propose to resolve the issue and within what timeframe.
Keep the quotation, invoice, payment records and correspondence.
If you cannot resolve an eligible consumer dispute, the Greek Consumer Ombudsman, Συνήγορος του Καταναλωτή, offers an out-of-court mediation route.
The authority acts as a mediator and does not impose penalties. Its eligibility rules include timing requirements, restrictions where court proceedings have begun and the need for a lawful transaction document.
Check the current conditions before submitting a complaint. For a substantial dispute or damage claim, seek legal advice.
How Yanis Handles Repairs for Home Watch Athens Members
Through our maintenance and technical oversight service, Yanis helps members organise agreed repairs while they are abroad.
A Clear Brief in Greek
Yanis explains the visible problem and the requested work to the relevant tradesperson in Greek.
For larger jobs, he can obtain several quotations so you can compare the proposed scope, materials and cost.
Your Approval Before Work Begins
The scope and cost are sent to you for written approval before the agreed work proceeds.
Any additional work requiring approval is referred back to you.
Agreed Attendance and Controlled Access
Yanis attends agreed repair appointments and manages access to the property.
As the sole keyholder, he does not release your keys to third parties without your written authorisation. Our keyholding service in Athens explains the access arrangements.
Photographs and Updates
Yanis checks the visible outcome and normal operation where appropriate, photographs the completed work and sends updates through WhatsApp.
Invoices and receipts are retained and shared with you. Any specialist testing or certification remains the responsibility of the qualified contractor.
Repairs, contractor attendance and additional oversight are agreed and charged separately from the monthly membership. Work is arranged when you request or approve it.
Some issues are first identified during the monthly property visit. Our Home Watch checklist explains those checks.
For projects involving several trades or a wider refurbishment, see our renovation oversight service in Athens.
Last reviewed: 5 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Find an English-Speaking Plumber or Electrician in Athens?
Start with recommendations from your building manager, neighbours or other local owners.
Check recent reviews, confirm relevant qualifications and ask whether the person attending can discuss the work in English. If necessary, arrange a Greek-speaking representative.
Why Do Tradespeople Miss Appointments?
Reasons can include scheduling problems, earlier jobs overrunning, unclear instructions, unavailable parts or uncertain access.
A written brief, a confirmed arrival window and one local access contact can reduce avoidable problems. They cannot guarantee attendance.
Does an Electrician in Greece Need a Licence?
Electrical work must be carried out by someone with the appropriate professional entitlement for the activity.
Ask to see the relevant licence or other authorisation and confirm that it covers the work you are booking.
Should I Pay a Tradesperson Upfront?
Avoid paying the whole job upfront as a default.
A deposit may be reasonable for ordered materials or a larger project. Agree its purpose, the payment stages and the completion conditions in writing, and keep invoices and payment records.
What if a Tradesperson Does a Bad Job and Will Not Fix It?
Document the problem and contact the provider in writing first.
If it remains unresolved, check whether the Consumer Ombudsman can mediate the dispute. For significant damage or a substantial claim, speak to a lawyer.
Can Someone Let Tradespeople In While I Am Abroad?
Yes. A trusted local representative can provide access, remain for the agreed appointment and report back.
For Home Watch Athens members, Yanis can coordinate and attend approved repair appointments as a separately charged service.