A discrepancy between the agreed rent and the actual market rental value of a property is not, by itself, sufficient to justify a judicial rent adjustment under Article 288 of the Greek Civil Code.
In Decision 274/2026, the Single-Member Court of Appeal of Piraeus rejected a claim seeking to increase the monthly rent from €890 to €4,241.65, because the alleged imbalance already existed when the lease agreement was concluded.
The decisive requirement for the application of Article 288 is a substantial subsequent change of circumstances, such as a significant increase in the property’s rental value, changes in market demand or other economic factors affecting the contractual balance.
Where the agreed rent was already below market value from the outset, and no subsequent change of circumstances is alleged, the conditions for judicial adjustment on the basis of good faith are not met.
Practical takeaway: A claimant seeking rent adjustment must do more than demonstrate that the contractual rent is currently below market value. The claim must identify and substantiate the circumstances that changed after the lease was entered into.