Student Housing Regulations in Portugal: Rights, Contracts, and Tips

Portugal does not have a separate "student housing law" — student rentals are governed by the same NRAU (New Urban Lease Regime) and Civil Code provisions that apply to all residential leases. However, several aspects of the law are particularly relevant to student tenants, including lease duration, shared housing arrangements, guarantor requirements, and early termination rights.

University cities like Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra have high demand for student accommodation. Understanding the legal framework helps students avoid exploitative arrangements and ensures landlords create compliant contracts.

Student rentals often use fixed-term contracts aligned with an academic period. Under Art. 1095º n.os 2–3, the general minimum is one year, while the minimum does not apply to non-permanent housing or a special temporary purpose, including education and training, when that purpose is recorded in the contract. Confirm that the shorter term reflects and states the actual basis.

Key considerations:

Landlords commonly require additional security from student tenants due to limited credit history and income. The most common arrangements are:

Guarantor (fiador): A landlord may ask a parent or family member to guarantee the tenant's obligations. Art. 627º defines the guarantee, Art. 638º provides the default benefit of excussion, and Art. 640º addresses its exclusion or waiver. The signed clause controls the guarantee's scope and duration. If rent goes unpaid and the tenant does not cure within the Art. 1041º period, the landlord must notify the guarantor of the default and sums due within the following 90 days and may demand payment from the guarantor only after that notice.

Security deposit (caução): Under Art. 1076º CC, as amended by Lei 24-D/2022, the deposit is limited to 2 rents. Advance rent is a separate category and is also limited under the same article.

Rent payment: Students should use a traceable payment method and keep records.

Example: For a room at €400/month, the ordinary first rent (€400) plus the maximum deposit (€800) totals €1,200. That is not a universal maximum for every amount payable at signing: a written agreement may also provide lawful advance rent as a separate category. A request for 3 rents labelled as a deposit exceeds the deposit ceiling.