Greek tax authority launches e-platform for AirBnB-type listings

Property owners engaged in short-term leasing of lodgings, the "AirBnb phenomenon", will reportedly come under the "taxman's" scrutiny in Greece during the coming period, with a new finance-ministry electronic platform finally set to come online.

The new e-platform will reportedly become operational at the end of the week.

Owners leasing property in Greece on a short-term basis will be required to register via the e-platform, subsequently filing particulars of each lease contract they sign.

In fact, speaking on a radio station affiliated with the ruling party, Deputy Economic Minister Katerina Papanatsiou said taxpayers must also submit an aggregated balance sheet of all previous listings and total revenue received formerly.

Individual listing of contracts and affiliated revenue will then begin.

What the Minister didn't clarify is whether the back-dated listing of short-term leasings is obligatory for 2018, or even previous years.

Revenue from the leasing of real estate in Greece is taxed from between 15 to a whopping 45 percent, depending on the overall income of the taxpayer declaring the income, whereas of the property-related revenues exceeds 12,000 euros per year, then a so-called "special solidarity contribution" is levied on top of all other taxes.  

Tax officers go undercover posing as guest-clients

Up till now, the Greek tax mechanism has planned random checks with the aim of identifying taxpayers with revenues from short-term property rentals through online platforms, Kathimerini newspaper reports.

Due to its current inability to cross-check the data, tax officers will go undercover posing as guest-clients in a bid to establish whether revenues are declared.

At this stage the inspections are relying on the money deposited through websites such as Airbnb, Booking.com, HomeAway etc. Once the online platform of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue is activated, it will check whether the amounts that ought to be declared are compatible with the deposits. In cases of discrepancies, fines can rise up to 5,000 euros. All contracts signed after January 1, 2018 will have to be declared.

Meanwhile, the European Commission on Monday threatened Airbnb with restrictions unless it proceeds with a series of changes to its terms of operation. Brussels notes Airbnb deprives consumers of basic rights such as referring hosts to justice should they suffer an injury on the property.

Read more at naftemporiki.gr

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