Tenant letters in Portugal: notice, deposit and repairs

Quick answer

A tenant ends a fixed-term residential lease in Portugal in one of two ways (artigo 1098.º do Código Civil): an oposição à renovação (notice not to renew) at least 120, 90 or 60 days before the end of the term, depending on its length, or a denúncia (early termination) with 120 or 60 days’ notice, once one third of the term has run. This notice must be signed and sent by carta registada com aviso de receção (registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt), or handed over against a signed copy (art. 9.º NRAU). A MaisonMail letter does not meet this requirement. Since 2023, the deposit (caução) may not exceed two months’ rent; asking for it back or for a first repair needs no special form.

This guide covers tenants of private residential leases (arrendamento para habitação) in Portugal under the Código Civil (CC) and the Novo Regime do Arrendamento Urbano (NRAU, Lei n.º 6/2006). It is general information, not legal advice. Take the landlord’s (senhorio’s) name and address from the contract. For an unpaid deposit, see payment demands in Portugal; for internet and energy contracts at the end of a lease, see cancelling a contract in Portugal.

Oposição à renovação or denúncia: check your lease

A lease with no stated term is fixed-term for five years (art. 1094.º CC). A fixed-term lease renews automatically for periods equal to its term, or three years if the term is shorter, unless the contract says otherwise (art. 1096.º CC): a one-year lease therefore usually renews for three years. Courts have differed on whether the parties can agree a shorter renewal period; get advice before relying on such a clause.

• Oposição à renovação ends the lease at the end of the term or renewal period: at least 120 days before if that period is six years or more, 90 days if one to six years, 60 days if six months to one year, and one third of the period if shorter (art. 1098.º n.os 1–2 CC).
• Denúncia ends it earlier, but only after one third of the initial term or renewal period has run: 120 days’ notice if the term is one year or more, 60 days if shorter (art. 1098.º n.º 3 CC). If the landlord has opposed renewal, you can leave at any time with 30 days’ notice (n.º 4).
• Open-ended leases: after six months, 120 days’ notice if the lease has lasted a year or more, 60 days if not (art. 1100.º CC).

A denúncia takes effect at the end of a calendar month (art. 1098.º n.º 5 and art. 1100.º n.º 3 CC); how this combines with the notice period is debated, so choose an end date at the end of a month that is at least the notice period after the landlord should receive your letter. Notice counts from receipt (art. 224.º CC). With short notice the lease still ends, but you owe the rent for the missing period, except in cases such as involuntary unemployment (art. 1098.º n.º 6 CC). You cannot use a denúncia in the first third of the term; if you leave anyway, what you owe is unsettled, so get advice. You can always agree an earlier end with the landlord, in writing (art. 1082.º CC).

Send the notice by carta registada com aviso de receção

Art. 9.º NRAU requires notices ending the lease, and legally required notices about works, to be a written document signed by you and sent by carta registada com aviso de receção, or handed to the landlord, who signs your copy with a note of receipt. MaisonMail sends standard and tracked letters to Portugal, not registered post, so a MaisonMail letter does not meet this requirement. Print the example, sign it and send it from a post office of CTT, the Portuguese postal operator, or have someone in Portugal hand it over. Whether international registered mail with an international acknowledgement form meets this rule is not settled.

Send it to the address in the lease or in the landlord’s last letter, not to the rented home, and include your full address (art. 9.º NRAU). With several landlords, write to the one designated or to the first signatory (art. 11.º NRAU). If the home is the family home, both spouses sign (art. 12.º NRAU); all co-tenants should sign too. If a registered letter comes back uncollected, you must send a second one 30 to 60 days later (art. 10.º NRAU), so allow a margin. E-mail is not provided for.

In the example, keep the legal basis that fits your case and delete the others; no reason is needed. Give an end date at the end of a calendar month, add your full address and sign by hand.

Assunto: [Oposição à renovação / Denúncia] do contrato de arrendamento — [morada do locado]

Exmo(a). Senhor(a) [Nome do senhorio],

Na qualidade de arrendatário(a) do imóvel sito em [morada do locado], ao abrigo do contrato de arrendamento celebrado em [data do contrato], venho, pela presente, [opor-me à renovação do contrato, nos termos do n.º 1 do artigo 1098.º do Código Civil / denunciar o contrato, nos termos do n.º 3 do artigo 1098.º do Código Civil / denunciar o contrato, nos termos do n.º 1 do artigo 1100.º do Código Civil], pelo que o contrato cessará em [data de cessação].

Proponho que a entrega das chaves e a vistoria do imóvel tenham lugar em [data proposta], ou noutra data a acordar.

Solicito ainda a devolução da caução, no montante de [montante] euros, após a entrega do imóvel, por transferência para a conta com o IBAN [IBAN].

Com os melhores cumprimentos, [Local e data] [Nome completo e assinatura do(s) arrendatário(s); tratando-se de casa de morada de família, assinatura de ambos os cônjuges] [Morada completa do remetente]

Get your caução back

Since 1 January 2023, a caução may not exceed two months’ rent, and advance rent requires a written agreement and is limited to two months (art. 1076.º n.os 1–2 CC); whether the cap applies to contracts signed earlier is unsettled. The law sets no deadline or procedure for returning the caução: check your contract. You must return the home as you received it, apart from wear from prudent use; without a record of its condition at the start, it is presumed you received it in good condition (art. 1043.º CC). At the handover, ask for a signed report (auto de entrega) and take photos. If the caução is not returned, a Julgado de Paz (small-claims court) can hear the claim, or you can apply for an injunção (payment order). A Government reform of tenancy law, approved by the Council of Ministers on 9 July 2026 and before Parliament as Proposta de Lei n.º 103/XVII, would change the caução and communication rules; it is not in force as of 18 October 2026.

The example gives the end of the lease and the handover date, and asks for an itemised list of any deduction. The payment date is your own choice, not a legal deadline.

Assunto: Pedido de devolução da caução — [morada do locado]

Exmo(a). Senhor(a) [Nome do senhorio],

O contrato de arrendamento relativo ao imóvel sito em [morada do locado] cessou em [data de cessação], tendo procedido à entrega do imóvel e das chaves em [data da entrega], conforme [auto de entrega, fotografias ou outro comprovativo].

O imóvel foi restituído no estado em que o recebi, ressalvadas as deteriorações inerentes a uma utilização prudente, nos termos do artigo 1043.º do Código Civil.

Solicito a devolução da caução, no montante de [montante] euros, até [data], por transferência para a conta com o IBAN [IBAN], titulada por [titular da conta].

Caso pretenda reter alguma parte desse montante, solicito que me indique por escrito, de forma discriminada, os valores e os respetivos fundamentos, acompanhados dos documentos de suporte.

Com os melhores cumprimentos, [Nome completo] [Morada completa]

Ask for repairs

The landlord must ensure your use of the home and carry out conservation works, unless the contract says otherwise (arts. 1031.º and 1074.º CC). Tell the landlord immediately about defects (art. 1038.º CC), with photos; this first request has no required form. If the landlord is in default on repairs too urgent to wait for a court, you can do them and be reimbursed; if they cannot wait at all, you can do them while notifying the landlord at the same time (art. 1036.º CC). If you lose the use of part of the home, the rent can be reduced (art. 1040.º CC). Do not stop paying rent: three months of arrears let the landlord end the lease.

Two formal steps require a carta registada com aviso de receção under art. 9.º NRAU, so MaisonMail cannot send them: notice that you will do the works yourself, at least 15 days ahead with a quote, under DL n.º 157/2006 (arts. 22.º-A to 22.º-D), and an intimação (formal demand) for defects that are a serious risk to health or safety, to which the landlord has 30 days to respond (art. 13.º-B NRAU). You can also ask the câmara municipal (town council) for an urgent inspection. The example below is a first request: it describes the defect and asks for the repair by a date you choose.

Assunto: Pedido de reparação — [morada do locado]

Exmo(a). Senhor(a) [Nome do senhorio],

Venho informar que, em [data], verifiquei no imóvel sito em [morada do locado], de que sou arrendatário(a), o seguinte problema: [descrição do defeito e divisão afetada], que [consequências para a utilização do imóvel].

Nos termos dos artigos 1031.º e 1074.º do Código Civil, solicito que proceda à reparação necessária até [data], informando-me da data prevista para a intervenção. Junto [fotografias ou outros documentos].

Para combinar o acesso ao imóvel, pode contactar-me através do número [telefone].

Com os melhores cumprimentos, [Nome completo] [Morada completa]

Post your letters and keep evidence

For the caução and repair letters, upload your final PDF or write the letter in MaisonMail, and add photos or documents as PDFs in the send flow. The recipient address determines the destination; available services, estimated delivery and the final price appear before payment. Keep a copy of every letter and attachment. Tracking shows that an item arrived, not what it contained. Julgados de Paz hear tenancy claims other than evictions up to €15,000, with a fee of €70 paid by the losing party. The mailing button below is for the caução and repair letters only; send your notice ending the lease, and any formal works notice, by carta registada com aviso de receção or by hand.