When you buy furniture and appliances for your Athens home while living abroad, get the utilities connected first. Then book deliveries in the right order: kitchen units and storage, air conditioning, appliances, furniture and finally a thorough clean.
The purchases themselves are often the easy part. Coordinating their arrival can be more difficult.
Your kitchen equipment arrives in several boxes. A few days later, the washing machine installer calls to say he will come tomorrow. The air conditioning team offers a morning or afternoon appointment the following week. One furniture delivery is booked for Tuesday, while another company calls at 9 am to say its driver will arrive in an hour.
Someone needs to be there for each appointment, check what arrives and make sure the installation has been completed properly.
This guide covers planning the setup, checking deliveries, installing appliances, respecting building rules and arranging access while you are away.
Plan the Order Before You Buy Anything
One of the biggest problems when setting up a home is getting things in the right order.
You do not want a sofa delivered just before the walls are painted, leaving it exposed to dust and damage. You do not want a washing machine arriving before its water, drainage and electrical connections are ready.
| Stage | What happens | What needs to be ready first |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Utilities | Electricity, water and internet accounts arranged | Contracts completed and the necessary supplies active |
| 2. Built-ins | Kitchen units, wardrobes and made-to-measure items installed | Final measurements taken and any preparatory work completed |
| 3. Air conditioning | Indoor and outdoor units installed | Positions agreed, power requirements checked and building rules reviewed |
| 4. Appliances | Fridge, washing machine, dishwasher and oven installed | Suitable water, drainage and electrical connections in place |
| 5. Furniture and textiles | Beds, sofa, table, curtains and rugs delivered | Painting and dusty work finished, with floors ready |
| 6. Final clean | Installation dust and remaining packaging removed | Everything installed, checked and tested |
This is a practical starting point. Your installers may need to adjust the sequence, particularly where concealed pipework or electrical work must happen before cabinets or finishes are installed.
Get the Utilities Ready
Most installations need electricity, and appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers need a working water supply and drainage so they can be tested.
Our guide explains how to move utilities into your name after buying or inheriting a home in Greece.
If you have bought a new-build apartment, complete the developer’s handover inspection and record outstanding defects before deliveries make the rooms harder to inspect.
Measure the Delivery Route
Before placing an order, measure:
- The building entrance.
- Your apartment’s doorway.
- Internal doors and corridors.
- The lift doorway and cabin.
- Stairwells, landings and tight corners.
- The room where each item will go.
Check the dimensions of the packaged item as well as the assembled furniture.
A sofa may fit perfectly in your living room but still be too large to get through the front door or around a stairwell corner.
Ask the retailer what happens if the delivery team cannot bring an item into the apartment. Confirm any extra charges for stairs, lifting equipment or a second delivery attempt before ordering.
Deliveries: What to Check Before Anyone Signs
Ask each retailer to confirm the delivery date, the expected time window and whether the driver will call before arrival.
Do not assume every company offers a fixed two-hour slot. Some provide a broad window, and appointments may change at short notice.
Give the retailer the number of the person receiving the delivery. A Greek-speaking contact can make communication easier when the driver calls for directions or access.
Check the Items Against Your Order
Whoever receives the delivery should:
- Check that the correct items, quantities and models have arrived.
- Inspect the packaging for visible damage.
- Ask to inspect the goods before signing where the delivery procedure allows.
- Look closely at corners, glass surfaces, furniture panels and appliance fronts.
- Photograph any damage, including the packaging.
- Record visible damage or missing items on the delivery note.
- Keep a copy of the signed delivery paperwork.
If the team will not allow unpacking before signing, record any visible packaging damage and contact the retailer promptly after inspecting the contents.
Do not sign a statement saying the goods are undamaged if you can already see a problem.
Keep the Paperwork Together
Keep invoices, order confirmations, delivery notes, photographs and correspondence in one place.
These records help establish what you bought, when it arrived and what condition it was in.
Appliance manuals, warranty documents and installer invoices should also be added to your property records. Our guide explains which documents to keep for a property in Greece.
Returns and Guarantees: Know the Difference
Returning an unwanted purchase is different from making a claim about a damaged or faulty item.
Returning Furniture Ordered Online
According to Your Europe’s guidance on returns, consumers generally have 14 days from delivery to notify a professional seller that they wish to withdraw from an online purchase without giving a reason.
Exceptions include goods made to the customer’s specifications or clearly personalised. Made-to-measure kitchens, wardrobes and curtains may fall within this exception.
Check the terms before ordering, particularly:
- Whether the item is standard or made to your specifications.
- How to notify the seller of a return.
- Who pays the return transport costs.
- How a large item will be collected.
The exception for customised goods does not remove your rights if the item is faulty or does not match the agreed order.
Legal Guarantees and Commercial Warranties
EU consumer guidance on guarantees explains that new goods bought by consumers from professional sellers carry a minimum two-year legal guarantee from delivery.
This protection concerns goods that are faulty or do not match the contract. It is separate from an additional commercial warranty offered by a manufacturer or retailer.
Under the general EU rule, a defect appearing within the first year is presumed to have existed at delivery unless the seller proves otherwise. National rules can provide a longer period.
Report problems promptly and retain the evidence. Do not assume every fault, accidental breakage or instance of wear is automatically covered.
Appliance and Air Conditioning Installation
Problems with newly installed appliances can be particularly costly in an empty apartment.
A poorly connected washing machine or dishwasher may leak without anyone noticing until the next visit.
Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps
Use an appropriately qualified installer and request proof of the certification required for the equipment and refrigerant.
EU certification rules cover installation activities involving stationary air conditioning and heat pump equipment within their scope.
Before the appointment, agree:
- The position of each indoor and outdoor unit.
- The route for pipework and cabling.
- The electrical requirements.
- How condensate will drain.
- Any building restrictions affecting external units.
- What installation, testing and making good are included in the price.
Ask the installer to demonstrate the controls and confirm that the system has been tested.
Washing Machines and Dishwashers
Have the installer check the water inlet and drainage connections.
Run the manufacturer’s recommended commissioning or test cycle while someone remains in the apartment. Check the visible connections and surrounding floor for leaks during and after the cycle.
Confirm that the appliance drains properly and that the machine is stable.
Fridges and Freezers
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions about how long to wait after transport before switching the appliance on.
Check its position, ventilation clearances and door operation.
Solar Water Heaters
If the apartment has a solar water heater, ask for the operating instructions, installer details and maintenance requirements.
Our guide covers solar water heater maintenance, leaks and winter care in Greece.
Locate the Water Shut-Off Valve
Before plumbing work begins, make sure someone knows how to isolate the apartment’s water supply.
Our guide explains where to find the water shut-off valve in a Greek apartment.
Respect the Building
Getting your apartment ready should not create avoidable problems for the other owners and residents.
Plan Noisy Work Around Quiet Hours
The Greek Police lists the following quiet hours:
| Period | Afternoon quiet hours | Night quiet hours |
|---|---|---|
| Winter: 1 October to 31 March | 15:30 to 17:30 | 22:00 to 07:30 |
| Summer: 1 April to 30 September | 15:00 to 17:30 | 23:00 to 07:00 |
Arrange drilling, hammering and other noisy installation work outside these periods. A delivery appointment does not override the restrictions on noise.
Protect the Lift and Common Areas
Tell the building manager when you expect a large delivery.
Check whether the lift can accommodate the items and whether there are weight limits or building rules affecting its use.
Ask the delivery team to protect vulnerable surfaces and keep entrances, stairs and corridors clear.
Our guide explains what a building manager, or diaxeiristis, does in a Greek apartment building.
Agree Who Removes the Packaging
Before delivery, confirm whether the service includes removing cardboard, plastic wrapping and other packaging.
If removal is included, check that it happens before the team leaves. If it is not included, arrange suitable disposal rather than leaving large amounts in the entrance or overflowing the building’s bins.
Keep packaging temporarily where the retailer requires it for a possible return, provided you can store it safely.
Someone to Let People In
For owners abroad, one of the hardest parts is finding someone who can open the apartment, remain during the appointment and check what has been delivered or installed.
A Relative or Friend
A relative or friend may be able to help with a few appointments.
However, setting up an apartment can involve many visits over several weeks. Most happen during working hours, and some are rearranged at short notice.
Make sure the person helping understands the time involved and what you want them to check.
Leaving a Key With a Contractor
This can simplify access, but agree who may enter, whether keys may be passed to anyone else and how attendance will be recorded.
Decide in advance who will check deliveries and completed work.
A Professional Keyholder
A professional keyholder can provide one local contact for agreed appointments, record what happens and report back to you.
Our keyholding service in Athens supports owners who need controlled access while they are abroad.
“Setting up a flat from abroad is not hard because of the furniture you select. It’s hard because every delivery and installation needs someone there. You may have twelve appointments, some rescheduled on the morning they are due, and someone needs to check the work before the team leaves. With the right order and one person coordinating locally, the process becomes much easier.”
Yanis Zisis, Founder of Home Watch Athens
How Yanis Helps Members Set Up From Abroad
For Home Watch Athens members, Yanis acts as the sole keyholder and can attend deliveries and installation appointments by prior agreement.
For each agreed appointment, he can:
- Provide access to the apartment.
- Remain for the agreed attendance period.
- Check delivered items for visible damage.
- Photograph completed work.
- Report missing items or concerns.
- Keep you updated through WhatsApp.
Keys are not released to third parties without your written authorisation.
Delivery attendance, installation supervision and other additional visits are agreed and charged separately from the monthly membership. The scope and expected attendance time should be confirmed before booking.
Where specialist work is needed, our maintenance and technical oversight service can help coordinate the arrangements. Technical installation and certification remain the responsibility of the qualified tradesperson.
After the Apartment Is Furnished
Once the setup is complete, a Home Watch membership provides a monthly visit to check the property while you are away.
Our property check and reporting service helps identify visible signs of leaks, moisture and other problems between your visits to Athens.
It is also a good time to review your home insurance and make sure the contents cover reflects the furniture and appliances you have purchased. See our guide to Greek home insurance for overseas owners.
The consumer-rights information on this page is general guidance and does not constitute legal advice. Check the retailer’s terms and the applicable consumer rules for your purchase. Last updated: 5 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Furnish an Apartment in Athens Without Being There?
Yes. You need someone locally who can receive deliveries, provide access to installers and check the goods and completed work.
Plan the sequence so that the necessary utilities and connections are ready before appliances arrive, and finish dusty work before delivering furniture and textiles.
What Should I Check When Furniture or Appliances Are Delivered?
Check the items against your order, inspect for visible damage and photograph any problems.
Record damage or missing items on the delivery note where possible, notify the retailer promptly and keep all invoices and delivery documents.
Can I Return Furniture I Ordered Online?
Consumers buying from a professional seller online generally have a 14-day right of withdrawal from delivery.
Exceptions include goods made to your specifications or clearly personalised. Standard upholstered furniture or a standard rug is not automatically excluded simply because of the type of product.
Check the return arrangements before ordering, especially for bulky items.
Who Can Install Air Conditioning in Greece?
Choose an appropriately qualified installer with the certification required for the equipment and refrigerant.
Ask for proof before booking and confirm that the installation includes testing, suitable drainage and any necessary electrical work.
When Can Installers Work in an Athens Apartment Building?
Schedule noisy installation work outside Greek quiet hours.
From 1 October to 31 March, quiet hours are 15:30 to 17:30 and 22:00 to 07:30. From 1 April to 30 September, they are 15:00 to 17:30 and 23:00 to 07:00.
Check the building’s rules too and notify the manager before major deliveries or installations.