A diaxeiristis (διαχειριστής), or building manager of a Greek apartment building, is responsible for paying bills for services jointly charged to the apartment owners and advising owners of the charges to be shared amongst them. The diaxeiristis is also expected to organise repairs and maintenance to the parts of the building held in common by all owners.
The diaxeiristis is the person in Athens you probably know the least about. And if you live abroad, he or she may be the first person to hear that something is going wrong with your apartment in Greece.
There is a legal framework for appointing a diaxeiristis, but arrangements can be informal in practice. In many buildings, a neighbour is asked to take over temporarily until someone else can do it. It is only when something goes wrong that questions arise about who commissioned a repair or whether the manager’s term had ended.
Quick answer
- They are responsible for the common parts of the building, not your own apartment.
- They arrange payment of shared building bills.
- They allocate shared expenses, including extraordinary repair costs.
- They arrange and follow up repairs to common parts, such as lifts, outside lights and grounds.
- The building’s regulation, or kanonismos, defines the role. Where it is silent, the applicable law must be considered.
- Owners abroad should request the regulation, meeting minutes, expense accounts and the manager’s term-end date.
How is a diaxeiristis appointed?
A polykatoikia is managed under Law 3741/1929 on horizontal ownership, the Civil Code and the building’s regulation. The regulation is usually drawn up by a notary when the building is subdivided into individual apartments.
Under Article 4 of Law 3741/1929:
- Co-owners can unanimously agree rules governing their rights and obligations, general meetings and the majorities required for decisions about common parts.
- Where there is no regulation, co-owners may unanimously appoint a manager with extensive powers, including maintenance, allocation of shared costs and representation in court.
This does not mean every appointment under an existing regulation requires unanimity. The regulation’s appointment rules should be checked. thermomyl.gr
Where no applicable agreement resolves the administration of common parts, the Civil Code’s provisions on co-ownership are relevant. Article 789 allows ordinary administration to be determined by a majority calculated according to ownership shares.
Article 790 allows a co-owner to ask the court to settle administration, with the appointment of a manager where necessary.
In practice, the manager is chosen at the general meeting of owners, and the regulation normally addresses the term of office. Read the relevant provision instead of trusting hearsay.
How long does a diaxeiristis serve, and how can they be removed?
Article 4 does not prescribe a fixed term. In many buildings, terms are annual and are set by the regulation or the appointing general meeting.
- Terms can lapse unnoticed. In Areios Pagos decision 532/2019, the manager continued after the end of his term with the tolerance and consent of the co-owners, without objection. The decision should not be treated as automatic permission for every manager to continue indefinitely. οΏ½)
- Removal: Unless a contrary agreement applies, Article 4(3) provides for removal by a majority at a general meeting, with votes proportionate to ownership rights. It also provides for judicial removal in cases of breach of trust or gross negligence.
- Who can serve: Article 4 does not expressly require the manager to be an owner. thermomyl.gr
Check the required majority, meeting notice arrangements, term and removal procedure in your building’s regulation.
What does the manager do with bills and koinoxrista?
Koinoxrista (κοινόχρηστα) are the common charges for running the shared parts of a property. Our koinoxrista guide for owners abroad explains what they include and how to deal with them from overseas.
Typically, depending on the regulation, the manager:
- Pays shared operating expenses, such as electricity for stairs and lifts and water for common areas.
- Allocates those expenses using the applicable hiliosta (χιλιοστά, shares in thousandths) or another method specified in the regulation.
- Issues an itemised statement to each apartment.
- Follows up unpaid contributions.
- Keeps an emergency reserve where one has been established.
As a default, Article 5(b) of Law 3741/1929 requires co-owners to contribute to common charges in proportion to the value of their apartment. The building’s regulation may specify a different method.
As with any charge, if you feel that it has been incorrectly calculated, you can ask for an explanation.
Who arranges repairs and checks the work?
Maintenance of common parts is a core building-management duty. The manager typically arranges cleaning and routine maintenance of shared areas, such as stairs, lifts and corridors, and pays for them from the building’s funds.
Depending on their authority, the manager:
- Organises cleaning, routine maintenance and contact with technicians, including lift maintenance contracts.
- Calls the appropriate tradespeople for urgent repairs, such as broken shared water pipes.
- Pays invoices from the building’s funds.
- Receives reports of damage from owners and residents.
Lift maintenance has its own registration and inspection requirements. See our guide to elevator registration and maintenance in Greece.
The extent to which the manager checks completed work varies. In a very small building, a call and a basic check might be sufficient. For major work, such as a facade or roof repair, owners should request written quotes, the relevant meeting decision and confirmation that the required work was completed.
When danger threatens common property, Article 788 of the Civil Code allows a co-owner to take necessary preservation measures without waiting for the others’ consent. TaxHeaven
A building manager’s emergency powers depend on the regulation, the owners’ decisions and the basis of the appointment. A manager appointed under Article 4(2) may have extensive maintenance powers.
For a specific example of cost allocation, see our guide to who pays for roof repairs.
What records should the manager keep?
Minutes of general meetings concerning works, expenses and accounts are important documents for absent co-owners.
The records matter because:
- Minutes record what was decided and what owners are expected to pay.
- A properly taken decision generally binds co-owners, including those who were absent.
- The manager must account for income and expenditure.
Article 303 of the Civil Code requires a person managing another’s affairs involving receipts and expenses to provide an account showing income, expenditure and the resulting balance, with supporting documents where customary. ministryofjustice.gr
What are the limits of a manager’s authority?
The building manager is the owners’ representative, not the owner of the building.
- Major works and changes: The manager cannot assume authority to approve every major project. The regulation may set different voting requirements for maintenance and improvements. Article 792 also prevents a majority from imposing a substantial alteration or disproportionately expensive addition to common property. A costly necessary repair is not automatically such an alteration.
- Common areas: The role concerns the building’s common parts. Appointment as manager does not itself authorise entry into another owner’s apartment. Access should be arranged with the owner or another person lawfully entitled to authorise it.
- Fair treatment: Decisions and charges must follow the applicable rules rather than favour particular owners.
- Accountability: The manager must account for money received and spent.
Is the legislation being reviewed?
Yes. On 2 July 2026, the Ministry of Justice announced a committee chaired by a Supreme Court judge to develop a modernised framework for co-ownership and a Property Code.
The Ministry stated an aim to complete the committee’s work by autumn and legislate by the end of the year. These are announced objectives, rather than confirmation that new rules are already in force. Υπουργείο Δικαιοσύνης
Proposed changes should not be treated as law before enactment. For developments, see our apartment-building reform guide.
What should owners abroad ask the manager for?
A short written request goes a long way:
- Contact details: The building manager’s details and an alternative emergency contact.
- Building rules: A copy of the regulation, or kanonismos, and any amendments.
- Appointment details: The date the manager’s term ends and the date of the last owners’ meeting.
- Charge allocation: Statements showing how charges are split by the applicable hiliosta.
- Accounts: Annual accounts and the reserve balance.
- Meeting records: Minutes of each meeting, sent promptly.
- Planned works: Notice of proposed work to common parts, with the corresponding quotes.
- Representation: The requirements for appointing someone to attend and vote on your behalf.
See our guide to power of attorney for property matters in Greece and our explanation of how apartment-building owners’ meetings work.
Managers represent the entire building. Owners abroad often are under the wrong impression and assume that the manager represents their interests. Most disputes I have encountered between owners and managers were caused by a message that nobody ever answered, not by any bad intentions.
Yanis, Founder of Home Watch Athens
How Home Watch Athens can help
Home Watch Athens is a founder-led, members-only property oversight service for owners abroad, complemented by a separate administrative representation service dealing with the building aspect of property ownership.
Where properly authorised and permitted by the building’s rules, I can attend owners’ meetings, vote according to your instructions and send a written report afterwards. We can also review building charges for unusual increases and help you obtain information about proposed decisions.
For maintenance issues affecting common parts or your apartment, our maintenance and technical oversight service can help coordinate quotes, your written approval and the agreed work. Additional coordination and attendance are separately agreed.
We also provide monthly property checks and photographs to report back to you.
We do not act as your building’s diaxeiristis or manage short-term rentals. Find out whether membership would suit your needs through our property management service in Athens.