Portugal continues to offer an excellent quality of life and an enriching cultural experience for those who choose to call it home. However, there is a chronic shortage in the long-term rentals in Portugal, which makes the process very volatile and fast-moving. Foreigners have to cope with the additional difficulty that documents and laws are all in Portuguese. Expats looking for long-term rentals in Portugal will find themselves in a landlord’s market.
We from Pearls of Portugal work with an experienced team of local and native experts who guide our clients throughout the rental process and keep them well-informed. Preparing all the necessary elements for a rental is the most important stage of the process and is oftentimes decisive in securing the best opportunity for your long-term rental in Portugal. We adapt our service to your requirements and can also realize the rental process remotely for clients who can not come to Portugal.
Helena Castro, Head of Client Management
Pearls of Portugal’s long-term rental service gives you many advantages, such as access to opportunities from the local community and hidden markets, plus the obvious freedom from bureaucracy, which saves you a lot of time and patience. We are also happy to recommend the best neighborhoods to live in according to your criteria and lifestyle. After the rental agreement is done we also help with installing utilities and any other questions you might have. Most importantly, we are also there for you when you have questions in the future.
I’d be delighted to talk to you about the easiest way to rent in Portugal!
We give you the perfect market overview. We are not limited by a portfolio but work with the entire market. We have access every day to about 50.000 rental properties in Portugal
We have access to the hidden markets. We have access to the entire Portuguese Online market, social media, real estate networks, auctions sites, and banks.
We are your single point of contact. We manage and coordinate all other relevant services like rental documents, renovation companies, utilities, etc
We take care of the entire work for you. We take care of all crucial steps like searches, scheduling the viewings, getting the paperwork done, etc.
We help you to save money. We provide you with professional price assessments and negotiate the price for you with our local experts
The most important aspect for us is fair and trusting cooperation. You take no risks with us and always have control over the rental process
Extensive consulting on where to rent in Portugal according to your interests, needs, budget, etc.;
Personal support by a dedicated personal team. We search for you on the entire online market, local brokers and private owners;
Scheduling of up to 10 viewing appointments within a 4 week period;
Price negotiations are taken care of by your team;
Professional assessment of market prices to ensure a good rental value;
Transparent listing of all rental costs;
Assistance with the rental contract and documents;
Arranging and coordinating any further service providers you need for the rental like cleaning, renovation companies, utility services, insurances, lawyers etc.
Virtual tours of your favorite properties in case you cannot come to Portugal are subject to partner availability for the service.
Coordination with our legal team to understand what is needed to suit your visa
When starting the search for a rental property in Portugal, we will help you to prepare your search profile:
The documentation you need to long-term rent in Portugal depends a little bit on the seller or the rental company but these are the usual documents required:
Usually, we close the rentals within six weeks of you signing with us.
The owner will always be in charge of the property, and should always be notified when something needs to be fixed.
You can stop the search any time. There’s no refund for the initial payment, but you also don’t pay a fine.
Yes, it is possible and common, for example, with the D7 Visa.
Yes, the Pearls of Portugal long-term rental service covers the whole country, including Madeira and Azores.
The typical duration of a rental contract in Portugal is one year.
This is entirely up to the landlord – sometimes yes, sometimes no. If not, you’ll have to set up utilities yourself.
Absolutely. Pearls of Portugal is here to work on your behalf and represent you. We’ll videochat with you while we visit the properties and ask all the questions you might have.
This also depends on the landlord. There are no statistics regarding this but, according to our rental market experience, most of the time the apartments for rent in Portugal are already furnished.
Yes, Pearls works as a renting agent/broker in Portugal. After you sign the contract, you’ll have to pay the landlord directly. Their bank account number should be on the contract.
No, you must stay for at least 1/3 of the time specified on the contract. Exceptions are: if you must move for a job or to take care of a family member in need, for example. But this must be discussed with the landlord.
You can, as long as it isn’t more than 2,999€.
Every year, the government announces a maximum percentage for rent increases. In 2024, that limit is 6,94%. Be aware that, in case the landlord didn’t raise the rent in previous years, they can accumulate the respective percentages.
The landlord can ask for two rents, plus two deposits – legally. But they might ask for more, under “rent advances”.
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3 Responses
Looking at re locating to Portugal from UK need a long term rental from Q2 2025
Hi Geoffrey,
Please contact us with your details at [email protected]. Thank you!
Searching a little house to rent in the Algarve, because of my health..only for myself..with two bedrooms, for wehn the kids wil come to visit me, a kitchen, livingroom, and a garden. It does,’t have te be very big, but near the beachsite. It also may be a little store where I can live behind it.