Portugal property buyer protection: 8 structural gaps
What the law does not require, and who is exposed
High exposure
Medium exposure
1
No buyer's agent profession
Lei 15/2013 creates no licensed buyer's agent category. Any firm using the title operates without legal definition or fiduciary obligation.
Lei n.o 15/2013, de 8 de fevereiro
High
2
No MLS: incomplete market access
Portals are competing ad channels, not shared databases. Same property appears at different prices across agencies with no requirement to align.
No regulatory basis for shared inventory
Medium
3
Mediador is the seller's agent
The agent showing the property is contracted and paid by the seller. No obligation to disclose this to the buyer under Lei 15/2013.
Lei n.o 15/2013, de 8 de fevereiro
High
4
No dual agency disclosure
The same mediador can represent buyer and seller simultaneously. No law requires disclosure or consent from either party.
No equivalent to US/UK dual agency rules
High
5
No mandatory pre-purchase inspection
No professional in the standard transaction chain assesses the physical building. Inspections are voluntary and must be commissioned by the buyer.
No legal inspection requirement exists
High
6
DL 10/2024 removed notary compliance check
Since January 2024, the notary no longer verifies that the building's physical state matches its licensed description before the escritura.
Decreto-Lei n.o 10/2024, de 8 de janeiro
High
7
Direito de preferencia can override a sale
Tenants, municipalities (in ARU zones), and heritage bodies hold a legal right to claim the property at the agreed price, even post-CPCV.
NRAU · RJRU · DGPC heritage framework
Medium
8
Low AMI licensing bar, limited enforcement
11,000+ valid licences. No exam, no mandatory education, no experience requirement. IMPIC enforcement capacity is limited.
Lei n.o 15/2013 · IMPIC, 2025
Medium
Sources: Lei n.o 15/2013, de 8 de fevereiro · Decreto-Lei n.o 10/2024, de 8 de janeiro · IMPIC 2025 · RJRU · Idealista/news, Sérvulo analysis, April 2025