PORTUGAL | Accommodation | Cultural information
Rental contract
Renting a room or an apartment doesn’t necessarily imply that a contract or lease be established. This is a better and safer option, but not always practised. If you find a place to rent through an estate agency a contract will be established.
Rent doesn’t include utility expenses, such as electricity, gas, water, building administration and maintenance fees or communications (phone, Internet).
Rent is paid on a monthly basis at the beginning of each month. Usually, landlords request payment of the first and last months’ rent at the beginning of a rental period or contract. In other words, the first payment includes two months’ rent. In some cases, it is required to pay a guarantee that will be reimbursed at the end of a rental period or contract given that there are no damages to the apartment.
Rental conditions
In most cases apartments up for rent are furnished with the essentials, kitchen appliances, table and chairs, bed, sofas, etc. If an apartment is not furnished, rent will be cheaper.
The cost of building administration and maintenance expenses is usually paid by the tenant if a rental contract has been established. If there is no rental contract, the landlord will pay for these expenses. These expenses may be paid on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis. Utility expenses with water, electricity and gas are paid by the tenant on a monthly basis.
Waste Management
Waste collection
Waste pick-up depends on the services rendered by each town or city. In the towns or cities where there are no waste containers, pick-up is done daily except on Saturdays. Places where there are waste containers, pick-up is done two to three times a week. Usually, waste pick-up starts at 10 p.m.
The cost for waste collection is included in the water bill and is clearly identifiable.
Recycling
In Portugal, recycling of domestic waste has increased in the last few years. Currently, such waste as glass, paper, tins, plastic and batteries are recycled. On a lower scale, other waste, such as appliances, metal objects and wood are also recycled.
In all residential areas there are “eco-pontos verdes,” specific spots with large containers where recyclable material is placed. For each type of domestic waste there is a container identified by a colour:
- glass is placed in the green container
- paper is placed in the blue container
- packaging material (plastic and tins) is placed in the yellow container
- batteries are placed in the red container
Depending on the amount of waste at the “eco-pontos verdes,” there is a collection of recyclable material 1 to 3 times a week. For more information you can check out www.pontoverde.pt.
For the recycling of other waste, such as, appliances, metal objects, wood, clothing, etc., each City Hall has a collection service available to the public. All you have to do is phone the City Hall to set a date and time for the pick-up of these materials.
Living in Portugal
It’s usual for apartment buildings to have cafés, restaurants and small shops on the ground floor. This can be convenient, but it can also increase the noise factor in residential areas.
Noise is not permitted between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. Neighbours may call the police.
Older houses and apartment buildings don’t have insulation in the walls nor heating systems. This can be somewhat uncomfortable in the winter, mainly in the northern region of the country. The use of space heaters and/or fireplaces is necessary. The construction of more recent housing units is done with proper insulation and installation of central heating and/or air conditioning systems. Housing units have become more comfortable.