Seasonal workers in despair – The “season” on the Greek islands and the “hot” rents – Newsbomb – News

Anastasia – Royal Golem

26/04/2024 15:44

A week before Easter the summer season usually “premieres” in Greece and the seasonal workers they are looking for work as well as accommodation in tourist destinations.

It has turned into an “unsolved” problem finding housing for workers who already go to the popular islands of the Cyclades but also to other islands nationwide in order to work in catering and tourism businesses.

Also, the same “calvary” is experienced by those civil servants who move to the island during this period to strengthen the structures, such as the police, the fire department, and even the Health Center. The task of these employees to find a house for three – four months is also extremely difficult as the prices have soared.

However beyond them seasonal workers teachers and civil servants face a big problem during this time, who are forced to be transferred by the owners to other places, as the previous places of accommodation will be given for the accommodation of tourists.

The above portion of people faced problem in finding housing in the authorities September who were transferred to work on Greek islands in some cases found a home on the condition that they leave it at the end of May.

Bakas: “It is unthinkable that we as a state have not provided for the housing of government officials”

The President of the Panhellenic E-Real Estates Network, Themistocles Bakas, speaking to Newsbomb.gr he referred to the housing problem faced by government officials and seasonal workers on the popular islands while he explained in detail the property rental prices in the country’s popular tourist destinations, specifically in Mykonos, Santorini and Paros.

“The fact that our country is going through a deep housing crisis is now a common admission. All of Eurostat’s indicators rank Greece as the champion in housing costs for at least 6 consecutive years among all EU countries. Highlighting the immediate need to adopt an integrated housing policy plan that will include immediate measures to curb housing costs”initially said Themistocles Bakas in the Newsbomb.gr.

“The major social problem of housing intensifies mainly in the popular tourist destinations of the country, especially in Mykonos, Santorini and Paros. There are not a few times that teachers have slept in their cars, doctors do not accept their placement, with the main factor being the high and unbearable cost of housing for their incomes. he added.

Regarding the “headache” that accommodation creates for substitute teachers, he said: “It is unthinkable that we as a state have not provided for the housing of government officials who are called to provide their services to the residents, especially in critical positions such as health, education and security. Unfortunately, until today we have not proceeded with the solution of the above serious social problem, we have not implemented measures of decent housing at affordable rental costs. The ‘ridiculous’ thing is that if the substitute teacher does not accept his placement, he faces a penalty of two years off the table of substitute teachers”.

Source/Edit: Real Estate Listing Sites / Nationwide E-Real Estates Network, *Refurbished,** all bills included except electricity

“The cost of renting a house exceeds the annual income”

One of the biggest problems faced by seasonal workers is usually the accommodation. They will usually find work without extras charge in a room or they will be forced to stay in the same space with other colleagues paying a small fee or they will be forced to rent a small space. Conditions for seasonal workers vary.

The accuracy has “climbed” to the heights making the rental prices in buildings on Greek islands unapproachable. In fact, the rental cost for homes of 25 sq.m.-50 sq.m. it is higher than the annual income of government officials.

“The rental cost for homes of 25 sq.m.-50 sq.m. it is higher than the annual income of government officials. A similar situation applies to seasonal workers who will look for housing for the season they will work on the island. Some may be “lucky” and the employer provides them with decent housing, but there are not a few cases that have seen the light of day where in a residence of 30-40 sq.m. to house even 5-6 workers – which is often not even a residence”, explained the Themistocles Bakas.

“It is absurd in islands where tourism revenues make up a large part of our country’s GDP, that they have not solved the housing problem. It is unthinkable to have property owners asking an employee for the season’s rental fee and/or the annual rental fee for a government official in advance.” he added.

“Teachers are often in better luck because in the summer months they “leave” the island because they are not working, but don’t think that it is easy to find a place to live in the winter months. Very few landlords have their properties available for rent from October until school closes. Many choose to keep their properties closed, because they use them mainly from Easter to the end of October through the short-term rental sector”he said.

And he added: “According to the posted real estate ads on websites, the cost of renting a house of 27 sq.m. built in 2005 in the Kalafati area of ​​Mykonos, is rented for €1,200/month, not including the cost of electricity, but only water and internet. In the Klouvas area of ​​Mykonos, the cost of renting a house of 50 sq.m. reaches €14,000 for the season (April-October). A similar picture in Santorini, the cost of renting a house of 28 sq.m. of 2020, reaches €1,050/month. In Paros, residence 50 sq.m. is rented for the season for €12,000 in the area of ​​Voutakos Agairia”.

Dynamics in the short-term rental industry

It is worth mentioning that in Mykonos the dynamics of the short-term rental sector numbers approximately 4,300 properties, in Santorini 5,100 properties and in Paro approximately 3,700 properties. The above impressive figures for the dynamics of the short-term rental sector in Mykonos, Santorini and Paros, “bring” the Greek public hundreds of thousands of euros in revenue.

“Since the municipal authorities have not yet solved the serious problem of housing, although it seems “unthinkable” that a solution cannot be found, a part of the revenues coming from the short-term rental sector to the Greek State should constitute funding funds for housing policies aimed at the immediate solution of the housing of government officials and seasonal workers”, said the Themistocles Bakas.

“In general, since the short-term rental industry has a share of “responsibility” for the rapid increase in rents both in popular tourist destinations and in urban areas such as the Municipality of Athens, Kalamata, etc., and generates revenues reaching 700 € million in the state coffers, a part of these revenues should be redirected and utilized for the creation of housing policies that will mainly concern the areas that register great dynamics of the sector”. he added.

Finally he mentioned that “the state could build affordable housing on unused plots of land owned by the wider public sector, financed by the excess revenue that ‘flows’ into state coffers from the short-term rental industry. While, exclusively for the above purpose, lands owned by the wider public sector could be included in the plan. Let’s not forget that the provision of housing is an obligation of the state and falls under the sphere of state social policy”.

Read also

Real estate: Why the price rally in the housing market will continue – Experts explain to Newsbomb.gr

The Unbearable Accuracy of Rent – 9+1 Reasons They Got a 24.39% Increase in Two Years

Golden visa: How the new measures affect the real estate market – What industry players say