Property transfer made easier

Process being simplified, with declarations to authorities being submitted online or by mail

Property transfer declarations will soon be completed in just three days, without the buyer or the seller having to visit a tax office, according to a plan being put together by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (IAPR).

The decision signed by IAPR chief Giorgos Pitsilis, to be published shortly in the Government

Gazette, provides for the simplification and acceleration of the process for declaring a property acquisition to the tax authorities. IAPR officials stress that this will put an end to the antiquated and time-consuming practice that produced long queues at tax offices, as well as tension and delays to taxpayers.

Kathimerini understands that the solution IAPR has come up with until the property tax declarations become fully digital, will have the following features:

- All applications or declarations may be sent by regular post, courier or email, or submitted at tax offices. An official declaration through the form on gov.gr state website will also suffice.

- In case of online submission, taxpayers will receive proof of receipt by auto-reply.

- If the application does not present any problems, it must be processed within three days. Upon

completion, citizens will be informed through the Taxisnet platform where the official copy of their declaration or required document will be uploaded.

- Processing an application will not require a visit to a tax office.

- Within 60 days from the processing of declarations, the authorities will verify their content based on the law’s provisions. In case of errors an invitation for amendments will be sent. If the citizen fails to respond within the given deadline, authorities will perform an inspection.

The view at IAPR is that this solution will allow citizens and notaries to be served with speed and transparency, without needing to queue at overburdened tax offices. According to provisional figures, from mid-March to midMay the IAPR responded to 850,000 of 1 million demands received via telephone and email.