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Property Inspection FAQ: Portugal
Straight answers to the questions our clients ask most: about inspections, legal obligations, reports and booking.
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01
Before buying a property
- Decree-Law No. 10/2024 (the so-called real-estate SIMPLEX) removed the obligation to present the use licence at the notarial deed. In practice, the notary no longer checks whether the property has a valid legal authorisation for its current use. The direct consequence is that this verification responsibility has shifted to the buyer. If you purchase a property with planning irregularities and only discover this later, the problem is yours. You cannot claim ignorance before the local council or in court. An independent property inspection, carried out before signing any document, is now more important than ever to detect construction defects, unauthorised use, or unlicensed works that could invalidate the transaction or generate unexpected costs.
- No. The property inspection is an informative technical document: it has no legal power to block any transaction. What it does is give you concrete, documented information to make decisions: you can use the report to renegotiate the price based on identified defects classified by severity, require the seller to fix defects before closing, exercise your right to withdraw if your promissory contract (CPCV) has a rescission clause for hidden defects, or buy with full knowledge of the property's real condition and plan works in advance. Most buyers who receive a report with findings don't walk away: they use it as a negotiation tool. It is rare for a report alone to be grounds to cancel a deal, but it frequently results in a meaningful reduction in the purchase price.
- Ideally, before signing the promissory contract (CPCV). At that stage you have full flexibility: you can negotiate the price, request repairs, or simply walk away without any penalty. If you have already signed the CPCV, it is not too late: check whether your contract includes a due diligence clause or rescission for hidden defects. Even if it does not, the report remains valuable: it documents the property's condition at the time of purchase (useful in future disputes) and allows you to plan works before moving in. It is never too late to know what you are really buying.
- Yes. All InspectOS reports are issued in both Portuguese and English simultaneously (and in Spanish upon request). Our inspectors are accustomed to working with international clients and to explaining the specifics of the Portuguese property market (building standards, local legal requirements, and the practical meaning of each finding) clearly for those unfamiliar with the Portuguese context. Communication during and after the visit can also be conducted in English.
02
Legal obligations for property owners
- The main legal obligations for property owners in Portugal are: (1) Energy Certificate (SCE): mandatory for selling or letting any property, under DL 101-D/2020. Valid for 10 years. (2) Gas Inspection: periodic and mandatory under DL 97/2017 (Article 21), every five years for homes and every three years for commercial installations. Gas distributors can suspend supply without this certificate. (3) HVAC Inspection: for heating, cooling and ventilation systems above 70 kW, every 4 years up to 250 kW and every 2 years above (DL 101-D/2020, Article 15). (4) Common areas inspection in buildings in horizontal property: no nationally defined frequency, but many municipal councils and condominium regulations require periodic reports. Beyond these obligations, inspections such as pre-purchase, structural, or electrical are voluntary but strongly recommended.
- Yes, most likely. DL 97/2017 (Article 21) requires residential gas installations built more than 10 years ago, and not remodelled, to be inspected every five years. If your installation has never been inspected or the certificate has expired, you are technically in non-compliance. The practical consequences include: the gas distributor can refuse to supply gas or to renew the supply contract; in the event of an accident or fire originating in the gas installation, the insurer may invoke non-compliance to deny a claim; and civil liability for damage to third parties falls on the property owner. The gas inspection is one of the most urgently time-limited services; if you have never had one, you should book as soon as possible.
- Yes, in both cases. The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), issued under the Energy Certification System (SCE) pursuant to DL 101-D/2020, is mandatory: (a) To let: it must be delivered to the tenant before the lease agreement is concluded. The certificate number must appear in the rental contract. (b) To sell: it must be delivered to the buyer when the promissory purchase contract (CPCV) is signed. The number must appear in the CPCV and the deed. The penalty for non-compliance can range from €250 to €3,740 for individuals. The certificate is valid for 10 years; if you already have a valid one, you do not need to renew it until it expires.
- Penalties vary depending on the applicable legislation: Missing Energy Certificate (DL 101-D/2020, art. 35): misdemeanor of €250 to €3,740 for individuals, €2,500 to €44,890 for companies. Uninspected gas installation (DL 97/2017): in addition to possible supply suspension, civil liability in the event of an accident can be significantly aggravated by proven non-compliance. HVAC without mandatory inspection (DL 101-D/2020, art. 35): misdemeanor of €250 to €3,740 for individuals and €2,500 to €44,890 for companies. It is important to note that, beyond administrative fines, the real risk is civil and criminal liability in the event of an accident, where proven non-compliance with legal obligations is a decisive aggravating factor.
03
Our inspectors
- All InspectOS inspectors are licensed engineers with an active registration with the Ordem dos Engenheiros. Depending on the service, they hold additional specific qualifications: Structural and seismic inspection: Civil or Structural Engineers with specialisation in construction pathology. Gas inspection: technicians certified by DGEG (Directorate-General for Energy and Geology) under DL 97/2017. Energy Certificate: Qualified Experts (PQ) recognised by ADENE, with an active SCE registration number. Electrical inspection: engineers operating under Portaria 949-A/2006 and RTIEBT. HVAC inspection: technicians qualified to submit reports to ADENE under DL 101-D/2020. Before each inspection, we confirm the qualifications of the assigned inspector. You can request the OE registration number or the ADENE/DGEG reference at any time.
- Yes, independence is a fundamental pillar of our model. Our inspectors have no financial relationship, direct or indirect, with contractors, builders, estate agents or any other party in the purchase or renovation process. They receive no commissions for recommending repair companies, nor do they have any incentive to inflate or minimise the severity of problems found. As policy, we do not recommend specific repair companies; reports identify defects and classify their severity. The choice of who you hire for repairs is always yours. This independence is what makes the report useful as a negotiation tool and as a technical document in potential disputes.
- Yes, and we actively encourage it. Your presence during the inspection has concrete advantages: you can ask the inspector questions in real time about what they are observing; understand the severity of problems in the context of the property, not just on paper; identify specific elements that concern you (a damp wall, a smell of gas, a stained ceiling); and leave the visit with a much deeper understanding of the property than any report alone can convey. The only exception is when the inspection is commissioned by a third party (for example, by a lawyer or agent on behalf of an absent client); in that case, presence is subject to agreement between the parties.
04
The inspection report
- The InspectOS report is structured to be useful, not just for filing away. It includes: (1) Detailed technical assessment by area (structure, roof, façade, electrical installation, plumbing, gas, moisture, etc.), with a description of each defect found. (2) Numbered photographic documentation of each identified problem. (3) Severity classification for each finding: Informational (to monitor), Warning (requires attention in the medium term), or Urgent (safety risk or progressive damage). (4) Prioritised defect list by urgency level. (5) References to applicable legislation and technical standards (DL, NP EN, RTIEBT, etc.). (6) Preventive maintenance recommendations. The document is issued as a PDF in both Portuguese and English, and is available in your client area within 48 hours of the visit.
- The standard turnaround is 48 working hours after the completion of the on-site inspection visit. For most services (pre-purchase, electrical, gas, HVAC, moisture, pool, new build), this timeframe is strictly observed. The structural and seismic inspection report takes 5 to 7 working days. For services involving external laboratory analysis (specifically Radon Testing and Water Quality Analysis); the turnaround is 5 to 7 working days, depending on the IPAC-accredited laboratory processing the samples. In both cases, you are notified by email as soon as the report is available in your client area.
- Yes, you can hand it over. The report is issued by an engineer registered with the Ordem dos Engenheiros, with documented methodology, regulatory references and photographic evidence, and the Energy Performance Certificate is issued by an ADENE-registered Perito Qualificado. Each institution decides for itself what it accepts and for what purpose, so confirm with your account manager before relying on it for a specific application.
05
Pricing, booking and coverage
- These are our real prices, VAT included: Gas Safety Inspection: from 110 €; Energy Performance Certificate: from 400 €; Snagging Inspection (New Build): from 980 €; Pre-Renovation Survey: from 710 €; Pre-Purchase Inspection: from 595 €; Moisture Inspection: from 750 €. The price you see on the service page is the price you pay.
- Yes, and it is the most efficient option both in terms of time and cost. When you combine two or more services, the inspector handles everything in a single visit, avoiding multiple trips and separate bookings. The most common combinations are: Pre-Purchase Inspection + Energy Certificate: a complete technical assessment of the property's condition and energy efficiency in one visit; Electrical Inspection + Gas Inspection: the two most frequently required technical installation safety checks in Portugal. To combine services, simply select them when booking online. The system automatically calculates the combined price.
- Yes, we cover all 278 municipalities of mainland Portugal, from Viana do Castelo to the Algarve, from the coast to the interior. There are no excluded areas in mainland Portugal and there are no additional travel costs regardless of the property location. For the Azores and Madeira, coverage depends on the availability of a qualified inspector on the specific island. We recommend contacting us to verify availability and lead times before booking.
- Yes. You can cancel or reschedule up to 24 hours before the scheduled time, at no charge. The amount paid is refunded in full, or held as credit if you prefer. If we cannot carry out the inspection for reasons outside your control, we reschedule at no cost. For emergency situations (illness, accident), we always review on a case-by-case basis.
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