Of Chrysostom Chufi

One of the differences in the latest budgets with the previous ones is the special care of addressing the housing issue. Its acidity is mainly obliged by 2024 and after the government to announce bundles of measures to address it.

And the preliminary draft budget of 2026, could not be different including new measures of at least 126m euros, raising the total cost of measures for the two years 2025-2026 to € 2.8 billion.

The reform of the taxation scale of rents with the addition of 2026 of an intermediate rate of 25% (from 35% now applicable) for income from € 12,000 to 24,000 euros stands out. The measure is estimated to benefit about 161,000 owners and according to the draft is expected to contribute to tax compliance and rented rental prices. The budgetary costs are estimated at € 90 million.

In addition, they are provided:

– Extension for the year 2026 of the three -year tax exemption for empty real estate that will be allocated to a long -term lease, at a cost of € 13 million for 2026 and € 22 million for 2027. But with three differences:

  1. In cases where the lease concerns a three -year -old or large family, the exemption will also be granted for houses with a larger area of ​​120 sqm, a number of 20 sq.m. for each dependent child over two.
  2. If the lessee leaves within three years, the exemption continues to apply to the remaining space and if the property is left behind and rented again
  3. Specifically for the leasing cases of medical or nursing staff employed by general government bodies, teachers of all levels of public education as well as to the Armed Forces and Security Forces staff, the exemption applies to at least 6 months.

– Extension of VAT suspension to new buildings by the end of 2026, at an annual cost of EUR 18 million

– Extension of the reduction of income tax for the costs of upgrading buildings for the years 2025 and 2026, with an estimated cost of 5m €

– Extension for the year 2026 of the restriction of new short -term leases to the three municipal districts of Athens

Introducing a new context of social consideration on the utilization of public real estate for the construction of modern social houses, with the aim of securing social lease in vulnerable groups.

They must add measures of 2.67 billion euros already being implemented such as the return of a rent starting next November – and will be implemented every November – of € 230 million, the My house 2 which has exceeded 50% of the implementation of a budget of 2 billion euros, the increase in climate crisis resistance to short -term leases of 405 million and the doubling of the maximum subsidy of the program ‘Refrigerate – I rent’ at an additional cost of 25 million euros.