Finding somewhere to live in Lisbon

Two markets, one city

Lisbon prices sit far above local salaries because a large slice of the supply is priced for arrivals rather than residents. That means the flat you see on an international portal is rarely the flat a Portuguese colleague is renting, and it also means asking around locally is worth more here than in most European capitals.

• Idealista and Imovirtual carry the bulk of genuine long lets.
• Listings that appear only in English, furnished, with a rolling monthly price, are usually short-let stock.
• Rents are quoted monthly and almost always exclude condomínio charges and utilities.

What a landlord will ask you for

The standard package is a NIF, proof of income and, very often, a Portuguese guarantor (fiador). Foreigners without a local guarantor are usually asked for several months of rent in advance instead — this is normal here and negotiable in form, if rarely in substance.

• NIF (tax number) — no NIF, no contract.
• Proof of income: an employment contract, recent payslips, or company accounts if self-employed.
• A fiador, or two to six months paid up front in place of one.
• Passport or residence card, and often a Portuguese bank account.

The contract, and why registration matters

A residential lease should be registered with Finanças, and the landlord should issue a recibo de renda each month. This is not a formality. The registered contract and the receipts are what residency applications, school enrolments and healthcare registration ask to see, so an unregistered lease can cost you far more than the rent it saves the landlord.

• Standard terms run a year and renew; shorter terms exist but weaken your position.
• Ask to see the caderneta predial and confirm the person signing is the owner.
• Get the energy certificate — it is legally required and tells you what February will feel like.

What the flat will actually be like

Older Lisbon buildings are beautiful and frequently uninsulated. Central heating is the exception rather than the rule, single glazing is common, and damp in winter is the single most common complaint from new arrivals who viewed in August. Hills matter too: a fourth-floor walk-up in Graça is a different daily proposition from the same flat in Campo de Ourique.

In order

1. 1Get a NIF before you start looking — everything else depends on it.
2. 2Open a Portuguese bank account so you can pay a deposit locally.
3. 3View in person, or have someone view for you, before any money moves.
4. 4Check the owner's name against the caderneta predial.
5. 5Sign, then confirm the landlord registers the contract with Finanças.
6. 6Keep every recibo de renda — you will need them for residency and schools.