Portugal enacts sweeping urban rental and city‑planning reforms

On 9 July the Portuguese Council of Ministers approved a package of measures under the “Construir Portugal” programme to overhaul the urban rental regime. The reforms give landlords the right to start eviction after two months of unpaid rent instead of three, tighten criteria for repeat defaults, remove caps on rent updates in new contracts, allow higher security deposits based on negotiation, and permit electronic communication between landlords and tenants. The changes also broaden owners’ ability to oppose contract renewal after the first term and create a public aid mechanism for vulnerable households.

A few days later, on 13 July, the amendment to the Urbanisation Plan of Viana do Castelo was published in the Diário da República. The plan sets new rules for land use, environmental balance, housing needs and building density in the city, binding both public authorities and private parties to the updated zoning and development standards. Together, the rental law and the local urban plan are intended to increase housing supply, simplify construction processes and modernise Portugal’s housing market framework.