Setting Up Utilities in Greece: Step-by-Step Guide

The short answer

To set up utilities in Greece, identify every existing connection, gather the account holder's identity, Greek tax number and property evidence, compare suppliers, and let the customer accept each contract and pay every provider directly. Much of the research and appointment coordination can be remote, but meter access, technical work and some identity checks require the customer or an authorised person at the property.

Setting up utilities in Greece means checking the property’s current electricity and water status, choosing the appropriate commercial providers, preparing identity, tax and property documents, and arranging access where technical work is needed. The process can be coordinated substantially from abroad, but the named customer must choose and accept each contract, confirm all declarations and pay deposits, connection charges and bills directly. A practical coordinator can research requirements, prepare checklists and arrange appointments, but cannot sign commercial terms, use a customer’s personal credentials or handle client money.

Which utilities should you arrange when moving into a Greek property?

Start with electricity, water, internet and any building-level services, then add gas or bottled fuel only where the property uses them. Do not assume that a working light or tap means the account is correctly registered to you.

A useful opening inventory covers:

the electricity meter number and supply number shown on a recent bill, if available;
whether the electricity supply is active, disconnected or pending a new connection;
the water meter, current named customer and responsible water body;
fixed-line and mobile coverage at the exact address;
communal building charges, central heating arrangements and the building manager’s contact;
solar water heating, heat pumps, gas, bottled fuel or other property-specific systems;
alarm monitoring, lift, pool or garden services where relevant; and
meter locations, keys, access hours and any technician restrictions.

Electricity supply and electricity distribution are different functions. A customer chooses a retail supplier and tariff, while DEDDIE, the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator, deals with the distribution network and meter-related work. RAAEY, the Regulatory Authority for Waste, Energy and Water, publishes consumer and market information. Keeping those roles separate helps you direct a tariff question to the supplier and a network or meter question to DEDDIE.

Water is more local. EYDAP serves Athens and parts of Attica, while EYATh serves Thessaloniki and municipal water and sewerage undertakings serve many other areas. Identify the competent water body from the bill, municipality or seller rather than applying a national assumption.

If you are planning the whole move, a relocation roadmap can put utility tasks in sequence with the rest of your arrival administration.

What should you check before contacting a provider?

Confirm ownership or lawful occupancy, current connection status and the intended account holder before requesting a quotation or appointment. These three facts determine most of the document list and prevent avoidable rework.

Ask the seller, landlord, agent or building manager for recent bills with unnecessary personal and financial information redacted. Record identifiers accurately, but do not copy another person’s credentials or claim authority that you do not have. Take dated photographs of accessible meter displays on handover. If a meter is in a locked communal area, establish who can provide access.

Use this pre-contact checklist:

Write the address exactly as it appears on property or tenancy evidence.
Confirm the account holder’s full legal name and Greek tax number, commonly called an AFM.
Identify whether the customer is an owner, tenant, company or other lawful occupier.
Locate the electricity supply number and meter number.
Identify the competent water undertaking and customer or meter reference.
Ask whether either service is inactive or subject to unresolved technical work.
Check whether the property is properly represented in the relevant property or lease records with a qualified adviser where necessary.
Decide what start date is required and whether someone can attend the property.
Compare provider requirements using current official pages or written responses.
Keep a contact log with dates, reference numbers and promised next steps.

Do not rely on an old bill as proof of the current position. It is evidence to investigate, not confirmation that a debt, contract or meter status has been resolved. A practical utility setup coordination service can build the inventory and keep the provider contact log, while the customer retains each decision.

What documents are normally required for electricity, water and internet?

Expect to provide identity, Greek tax, contact, payment and property-related evidence, but obtain the exact list from the chosen provider. Requirements vary by utility, transaction type, account holder and provider channel.

A working document pack may include:

a valid passport or national identity document;
the customer’s AFM and the tax-office details requested by the provider;
a purchase deed, lease information or other accepted evidence of lawful occupancy;
the utility supply or meter number;
a mobile number and email address;
a bank account or card for a direct debit, where the customer chooses that method;
a prior bill or meter photograph;
a property electrical installation declaration where the network process requires a current one; and
an authorisation if another person is permitted to perform a specific administrative act.

This is a preparation list, not a universal rule. A supplier may require different evidence, and a regulated professional may need to address defects in ownership, lease or tax records. Never send more personal data than the recipient needs. Use the provider’s official upload or secure communication route, verify the domain, and redact unrelated information where the provider accepts redaction.

If a portal is difficult to navigate, bureaucracy screen-share support can explain the page flow while you keep control of your login and make the submission yourself.

How do you arrange an electricity contract in Greece?

First establish the network status, then compare retail offers and let the named customer enter the selected contract. A supplier switch, a change of account holder, a reconnection and a new physical connection are not the same procedure.

Follow this sequence:

Identify the supply. Record the address, supply number, meter and current physical status.
Define the request. State whether you need a change of customer, supplier switch, reconnection or new connection.
Check network prerequisites. For meter, new-connection or technical issues, use DEDDIE’s official information or contact route.
Compare current tariffs. Use the RAAEY comparison tools and EnergyCost to organise current published options. Review the price structure, fixed charges, duration, exit terms, billing method, deposit conditions, promotional limits and customer support. The customer must read the supplier’s current terms and select the contract.
Request the provider’s document list. Match it to the account holder and property rather than using a generic checklist as final authority.
Resolve missing evidence. This may require the landlord, seller, electrician, tax adviser or other qualified professional.
Customer accepts the contract. The account holder checks the declarations, tariff and payment terms and completes the provider’s identity process.
Customer pays directly. Any deposit, connection amount or bill goes straight to the supplier or official operator. There is no client-money handling.
Arrange access. Confirm who will admit a technician and how the meter can be reached.
Save evidence. Retain the contract, submission confirmation, payment receipt, appointment reference and first meter reading.

No provider, coordinator or network operator should be represented as guaranteeing a connection date. Timings depend on the transaction, document quality, technical status, workload and access. Avoid fabricated fee estimates: request the current amount in writing from the body charging it.

How do you transfer or open a water account?

Identify the local water undertaking, ask whether the transaction is an account change or a connection matter, and follow that body’s current instructions. Water procedures cannot safely be generalised across Greece.

For an EYDAP-served property, consult EYDAP customer services and confirm the accepted channel and evidence. Elsewhere, locate the municipal or regional undertaking from a recent bill or the municipality’s official website. Ask specifically:

who is recorded as the customer;
whether readings and charges are current;
what proves ownership or tenancy;
whether owner consent is required for a tenant’s application;
whether the meter is accessible and correctly associated with the property;
how the opening or handover reading should be recorded;
whether attendance is needed; and
which official channel receives documents and payment.

Photograph the handover reading where lawful and practical. Record the date and meter identifier in the handover note. If there is an apparent leak, damaged seal, inaccessible meter or mismatch between the bill and physical meter, report the facts to the water body. Do not interfere with the meter.

Unresolved historic charges can require careful factual investigation. A coordinator can collect bills and correspondence, but legal responsibility for a disputed amount is a matter for the utility and, where needed, a lawyer. The customer pays accepted charges directly to the water body.

How should you choose and install internet service?

Check serviceability at the exact address, compare the full contract and plan for building access. Advertising for a neighbourhood does not prove that a specific flat has the same available technology or activation time.

Ask each provider to confirm:

available technology at the precise property;
estimated line capability, without treating an estimate as a guarantee;
minimum term and cancellation provisions;
installation, activation and equipment terms;
whether an existing socket or fibre entry can be used;
technician attendance and access requirements;
what identification and occupancy evidence are required; and
how equipment must be returned when the contract ends.

In a block of flats, fibre work may involve common areas or a building manager. Obtain any necessary building permission before the appointment. Ensure an adult with authority can answer access questions, but reserve contract changes and extra paid work for the customer. A person attending should not approve drilling, additional cabling or commercial changes unless the owner has given precise written limits and the provider accepts that arrangement.

What can be completed remotely and what requires someone in person?

Research, document preparation, quotations, many applications and appointment bookings can often be handled remotely. Physical access, technical inspection, meter work and provider-specific identity checks may require the customer or an accepted authorised person.

Typical remote tasks include:

making the utility inventory from bills and owner information;
checking official provider requirements;
comparing published electricity and internet terms;
preparing document and question lists;
scheduling calls and appointments;
joining a screen-share while the customer signs in;
maintaining a progress log; and
reviewing confirmations for obvious factual mismatches.

Typical in-person tasks include:

reading or photographing an inaccessible meter;
meeting a DEDDIE, water or telecoms technician;
opening locked communal areas;
confirming the property is secured after a visit;
receiving equipment if provider rules allow it; and
attending a provider location where remote identification is unavailable.

An appointment language support service may help with routine conversation, but it is not certified interpreting, contract advice or representation. For a technician visit when the owner is abroad, contractor visit coordination can arrange access and report visible facts without technically approving the work.

Can someone act for you using a Greek electronic authorisation?

Sometimes a provider accepts a narrowly worded authorisation, but you must ask that provider what form and wording it accepts. Gov.gr offers an electronic authorisation service, yet issuing an authorisation does not force a private provider or public body to accept it for every act.

The authorisation should identify the person, the specific act and any limits. Avoid broad language where a narrow instruction is sufficient. The customer should create and issue the authorisation through the official process using their own personal credentials. A coordinator must not collect a username, password, one-time code or other authentication secret.

Authorisation also does not transfer every responsibility. The customer still chooses commercial terms, confirms substantive declarations and pays charges directly. If a matter requires a lawyer, accountant, engineer, electrician or other regulated professional, practical support does not replace that professional.

Who is responsible for contracts, payments and technical decisions?

The customer is responsible for the tariff choice, contract acceptance, declarations, provider payments and property authority. A concierge is responsible only for the agreed research, coordination, attendance and reporting tasks.

The boundary should be written down:

The customer:

supplies accurate identity and property information;
chooses the provider and commercial terms;
reads and accepts contracts;
uses personal credentials privately;
pays deposits, official fees, provider invoices and contractors directly;
appoints regulated professionals where required; and
remains available for material decisions.

The concierge or coordinator:

organises requirements and published options;
prepares a document checklist;
schedules approved appointments;
attends only where lawfully permitted and agreed;
records status, references and visible outcomes; and
escalates questions rather than inventing an answer.

The concierge or coordinator does not:

act as an energy broker or select a tariff for the customer;
sign a utility contract;
certify wiring, plumbing or telecoms work;
guarantee activation or connection dates;
accept responsibility for provider decisions;
collect account passwords or authentication codes; or
receive, safeguard or forward client funds.

What problems commonly delay a utility setup?

Mismatched property details, unclear account authority, missing technical declarations and inaccessible meters are common causes of delay. Detect them before fixing an appointment.

Watch for:

different spellings or address formats across documents;
a supply number associated with another unit;
a lease or ownership record that does not support the application;
uncertainty over the intended account holder;
no current electrical installation declaration where one is required;
a disconnected supply being treated as a simple supplier switch;
a locked meter room with no arranged access;
unapproved work in a building’s common area;
sending incomplete documents through an unofficial channel;
assuming that another person’s old debt or contract position is settled; and
waiting until arrival to check internet serviceability.

When blocked, ask the provider for a written statement of the missing item and the official route to resolve it. Preserve reference numbers and avoid repeated applications with inconsistent information.

What is the final utilities handover checklist?

Finish by verifying each account, first reading, payment channel and open technical action. A connection that works is not fully handed over until the paperwork and responsibilities are clear.

For an empty or intermittently occupied home, continue with an absentee property owner plan covering checks, key control and emergency escalation.

How was this guide researched and when were the sources checked?

This guide was prepared from official consumer and service information published by RAAEY, EnergyCost, DEDDIE, EYDAP and gov.gr, then organised into a practical sequence. It distinguishes general preparation from provider-specific rules because providers, local water bodies and individual property circumstances differ.

Sources and links were last checked on 24 September 2026. Rules, provider terms, document lists and charges can change. Confirm the live requirement with the competent provider or authority before committing, and use a qualified professional for legal, tax, engineering or other regulated questions.

What are the frequently asked questions about setting up utilities in Greece?

Can I set up Greek utilities before I arrive?

You can usually research providers, gather documents and begin enquiries remotely. Whether a contract can be completed remotely depends on the provider, the property and its existing connection. A technician or authorised person may still need access.

What documents are normally needed for a utility contract?

Providers commonly request the account holder’s identity details, Greek tax number, contact and payment details, and evidence connecting the holder to the property. The precise list must be checked with the chosen provider.

Can a concierge choose and sign a utility tariff for me?

No. A concierge can organise published options and practical steps, but the customer chooses the tariff, accepts the contract and remains responsible for its accuracy and cost.

Who pays deposits, connection charges and utility bills?

The customer pays every provider and authority directly through an official payment channel. We do not receive, hold or forward client money.

Do I need to change electricity supplier when moving in?

Not necessarily. First establish whether the supply is active, whose name is on it and whether a new contract or change of supplier is required. Compare current offers before deciding.

What if the electricity or water is disconnected?

Ask the relevant supplier or network operator to confirm the status and required process. Reconnection can involve technical checks, outstanding property issues or access, so no coordinator can guarantee a date.

No. Keep passwords, one-time codes and personal credentials private. If a digital identity step is required, sign in and submit it yourself, with screen-share guidance if useful.

Primary sources

These sources were checked when this guide was updated. Always open the current official page before acting.

About the author

Yanni writes practical, source-led guidance for people organising life and property in Greece. The guides explain administrative steps, not legal, tax or immigration advice.