Latest news and stories about rental law in legal in Portugal for expats and residents.
New construction regulations allow for the termination of old rental contracts, mandating guaranteed relocation for tenants over 65 or those with disabilities exceeding 60%, while others may be evicted through financial compensation.
Eviction orders in 2025 surged by 44% to 1,447 cases, with Lisbon and Porto identified as the primary regions affected by this significant rise.
Rita Silva argues against the notion that expediting evictions will resolve the housing crisis, highlighting the lack of support for vulnerable populations.
The government announced on Thursday that it wants to shorten the deadline for evictions due to late rent payments to two months, instead of the three months required by current law.
In the event of repeated non-compliance, eviction proceedings may be initiated whenever there is a delay in payment equal to or greater than eight days, occurring more than three times consecutively or intermittently over a 12-month period, or more than four times within 18 months.
The government has shortened the legal timeframe for evictions due to unpaid rent to a two-month period.
The Government intends to allow evictions for unpaid rent after two months of non-payment, instead of the three months currently required by law.
The executive also approved new rules for the transition of contracts signed before 1990 to the New Urban Lease Regime.
Eviction proceedings may be initiated whenever there is a delay in payment equal to or greater than eight days, occurring more than three times consecutively or intermittently over a 12-month period, or more than four times within 18 months.
This question frequently arises in legal proceedings and has been analysed by the higher courts. Jurisprudence consistently holds that entering into lease agreements for a term of less than six years constitutes an act of ordinary administration. According to this position, the estate administrator may rent out the property without needing the consent of the other heirs, provided the agreed term does not exceed this limit. Conversely, when a lease agreement is signed for a term exceeding six years, the act exceeds the ordinary administrative powers granted to the administrator. In this situation, as it is an act of extraordinary administration, the consent of the heirs is required. Therefore, the need for the heirs' consent depends on the duration of the lease agreement.
The Government approved in principle this Thursday three bills aimed at addressing the housing crisis, with measures including the revision of the rental regime to accelerate evictions in cases of non-compliance, the creation of mechanisms to unlock undivided inheritances, and the establishment of a housing emergency fund. The proposals...
Portugal’s Council of Ministers approved major changes to the rental law and inheritance rules this Thursday, aiming to speed up evictions, unlock unused properties, and address long-standing housing and land The post Council of Ministers approves faster evictions and inheritance reforms appeared first on Portugal Resident.
