Latest news and stories about rental market in Portugal for expats and residents.
The Portuguese Parliament is scheduled to discuss and vote on government-proposed amendments to the tenancy law this week. The changes aim to introduce new rules for older rental contracts and provide greater flexibility for future agreements.
Two government initiatives, the Housing Rental Investment Contracts (Contratos de Investimento para Arrendamento Habitacional or CIA) and the Simplified Accessible Rental Regime (Regime Simplificado de Arrendamento Acessível or RSAA), entered into force this month without the required regulations. This lack of clear guidelines currently prevents property owners and investors from participating in the programs intended to increase housing supply.
The government intends to shorten the timeframe for evictions due to unpaid rent from three months to two months. The Lisbon Tenants Association (Associação dos Inquilinos Lisbonenses or AIL) warned that this measure will create significant instability for tenants, while opposition parties including the Livre and the Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) have criticized the move as a setback for housing rights.
Health cards are private membership or discount schemes sold by companies that offer access to consultations, tests or reduced fees at private clinics; they are not the public health service. The Socialist Party (Partido Socialista or PS) has proposed regulation to increase transparency and protect consumers from misleading marketing or unexpected charges.
The Lisbon Tenants Association (Associação dos Inquilinos Lisbonenses or AIL) is a representative body that advocates for the rights and interests of renters in the Lisbon area. It frequently provides analysis on housing legislation and government policy, such as recent concerns regarding proposed changes to eviction procedures.
A Diário de Notícias analysis argues that renting (arrendamento) is under‑used in Portugal despite the housing crisis, as the country remains culturally oriented toward home ownership. The piece suggests policy interventions and incentives could rebalance the market and expand supply for those who cannot afford to buy. Renters and people searching for housing should watch for policy proposals that could change tenant protections and incentives for landlords.
Portugal is advancing legislation to accelerate the eviction process, contrasting sharply with Spain's recent policy decisions to implement moratoriums and protections for tenants amidst the ongoing housing crisis.
Matosinhos municipality is facilitating the construction of 140 affordable rental units by granting land for 90 years, providing financial aid, and streamlining the approval process for housing cooperatives.
The headline of DN on Wednesday, 18 February, highlights that despite an increase in the supply of rental homes, rents continue to rise, particularly in major urban centers where costs exceed one thousand euros. Government measures are anticipated to enhance supply, but their effects are expected to manifest in the medium to long term. The edition also features a report on social media access for young people, an interview commemorating the 40th anniversary of the first heart transplant, discussions on fame in sports, cultural insights into Lídia Jorge's novels, an obituary for civil rights advocate Jesse Jackson, and economic statistics regarding female workers' earnings.
The Government states in the Budget that it is maintaining the youth guarantee, but the minister admits that a decision has not yet been taken. The most controversial measures, such as the revision of the tenancy law, are excluded from this budget. However, there is a strengthening of rental programmes and uncertainty regarding the continuity of support for young people buying their first home.
The local authority led by Ana Abrunhosa is debating this Friday a programme aimed at bridging the gap between social housing and the open market.
Following the Maricarmen case, Spain has entered a housing crisis. Meanwhile, in Portugal, changes to the rental market are being discussed today. What else could change in housing?
Among the headlines of the last Wednesday of September, the topic of housing is dominant. Público highlights that over 20% of new rental contracts signed in the last year have companies as landlords, which end up charging more and increasing rents more than individual landlords. On the front page of Jornal de Notícias, the headline is about housing prices hitting record highs, while the Government prepares to make the rental market more flexible and accelerate evictions. The topic of evictions is also highlighted on the front page of Diário de Notícias, which presents data from the Rental Desk showing that evictions are increasing, with the main reason being the non-payment of rent. Since 2013, there have been an average of three thousand evictions per year. Correio da Manhã reveals another chapter in the saga involving the treatment of the Luso-Brazilian twins at Hospital Santa Maria by looking at the Public Prosecutor's indictment, stating that the justice system 'forgives' the four million euro cost the Portuguese state incurred to treat the girls. In the business dailies, Negócios reports on the Mobility and Transport Authority's plan to reconfigure the map of road concessions and sub-concessions, taking advantage of the opportunity as they expire by 2040. Jornal Económico writes that Spain has widened the gap with Portugal in energy prices amidst the global energy crisis due to the war in the Middle East, approving a new 'bazooka' to combat high prices. Porto residents are more satisfied with the city they live in than Lisbon residents. Housing and mobility are challenges. Centeno calls for family allowances and support for energy-dependent sectors despite seeing the country in default.
The PS parliamentary leader considered that the PSD/CDS-PP executive, with its legislative authorization proposal, intends to obtain from the Assembly of the Republic a “blank cheque” with a view to instituting measures that will “create growing insecurity for tenants”
Rita Silva, an activist from the Vida Justa movement, states that the 'narrative of more confidence in the rental market does not solve' the housing crisis. On the contrary, she argues, 'it only makes the situation worse'.
The author reflects on the persistent housing crisis in Portugal, contrasting the extreme lack of regulation in the rental market with the state's continued enforcement of frozen rents for older contracts. Using the recent eviction case of 87-year-old Maricarmen in Madrid as a starting point, the article criticizes the Portuguese government's decision to remove caps on rent increases for new contracts while simultaneously maintaining rent freezes for pre-1990 agreements, arguing that this creates a contradictory and unfair system for both tenants and landlords.
The PS leader wants the National Affordable Housing Service to include proposals to assist with renting and support for young people. Implementation will depend on the State and private organisations.
Home News Can Portuguese Landlords Ban Pets? Can Portuguese Landlords Ban Pets? Finding a rental home in Portugal can become considerably harder when a dog or cat is coming with you.
The Housing and Development for Portugal Association (AHDPP), launched this Tuesday, September 15, aims to address the middle class specifically, focusing on affordable rentals by involving private investors and municipalities to scale up new construction and the rehabilitation of vacant properties. The association, which is non-partisan and non-profit, proposes a 'fair rent' model where no one pays more than a third of their income for housing. Association president Rui Miguel Braga noted that there is significant private capital interested in the model, provided it remains profitable. Secretary of State for Housing, Patrícia Gonçalves Costa, welcomed the initiative, emphasizing the government's commitment to working with civil society to address the long-standing housing deficit in Portugal.
An analysis of how the Social Market Economy model has influenced housing policies and outcomes in Portugal.
The new Deco Proteste platform aims to help displaced students find accommodation, in light of the lack of supply and the high prices in the rental market.
The municipality of Odivelas has launched a new initiative to provide affordable housing options, capping monthly rents at 1,125 euros.
Finding a home in Portugal is a difficult task for everyone, especially for students moving away from home. This guide covers the definition of a 'displaced student', how to apply for financial support, the importance of university housing, and tips for navigating the private rental market while avoiding scams.
Faced with the proposal to revise the rental regime now known in more detail, the Lisbon Landlords Association doubts that the changes will be capable of stimulating the rental market and restoring confidence.
The shortage of rental supply does not stem from a single legal issue, but from the accumulation of several constraints.
The demand for rental properties in Portugal has seen a 36% increase.
Purchasing land to build a house intended for residential rental does not qualify for the capital gains tax exemption, a measure created by the government of Luís Montenegro to boost the rental market. The Tax Authority (AT) clarifies, in a binding ruling, that the new regime only covers the acquisition of already constructed properties, excluding...
Funchal recorded the highest growth in the number of properties available for rent across the country.
The availability of rental properties in Portugal saw a 22% decrease during the spring season.
Luís Montenegro responded in Palmela to the parties' criticisms regarding the new rules for the rental market proposed by the government.
The party criticises the removal of 'the only mechanism that moderated prices for new contracts'.
