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I FOUND THAT THE PROPERTY I PURCHASED HAS DEFECTS, WHAT CAN I DO NOW?

Every consumer purchase is covered by a mandatory legal guarantee. As long as you are a consumer, no seller can claim otherwise.

Legally, the property must not suffer from any defect which has a negative impact on its value or which renders its regular use impossible. If these warranties are breached, the consumer can choose between repair, replacement, refund or a price reduction. However, the buyer must notify the seller of defects within one year of their discovery.

If the property is newly built, the purchaser will also benefit from a five-year warranty period. According to Art. 1225 of the Civil Code, the seller is liable for damages in respect of certain defects during five years, if he has also constructed, repaired or modified the building.

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PORTUGAL MAKES TOP TEN OF RETIREMENT DESTINATIONS

The Annual Global Retirement Index places Portugal as the seventh best destination in the world to retire. The top three destinations listed by International Living are Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama. Spain has listed two positions below Portugal in ninth and is the only other European nation on the list.

According to International Living’s report, “the third-safest country in the world in the 2017 Global Peace Index, Portugal is not only secure but beautiful.” It adds that “if Portugal’s attributes have convinced you to give it a try, here’s a tip: Begin your test drive in the capital. Lisbon is easy to reach, with direct flights from major cities around the world.”
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NUMBER OF NEW COMPANIES RISES

Business formation with new businesses having been started in Portugal went up in 2017. Over 3,687 new companies were registered in Lisbon (14.5% more than in 2016), while Porto registered 7,107 new firms (5% up on the previous year).

On the other hand, business failures in Portugal fell 12.7% in 2017 compared with 2016 to 6,284, while the number of new companies being set up rose 9.1%, to 40,465. Lisbon and Porto saw the highest number of bankruptcies – 1,683 and 1,330 respectively, but these were still 2.4% and 15.4% lower than in 2016.

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WHAT IS A TRADEMARK AND WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO REGISTER IT IN PORTUGAL?

A trademark is a sign that identifies products or services that exist or is going to be launched in the marketplace. Trademarks enable us to distinguish a company’s products or services from those of other companies.

A trademark can comprise letters or words (verbal trademark), but may also be composed of pictures (pictorial trademark), or both (mixed trademark). It is also possible to register sounds as trademarks (recorded graphically on staves - sound trademark), as well as three-dimensional shapes (three-dimensional trademark). Trademarks can also be made up of advertising slogans, independently of any Copyright protection they may enjoy.

If the trademark is pictorial or contains a mix of words and pictures, you need to attach a picture of the trademark for publication in the Industrial Property Bulletin. This should be on A4 paper, no larger than 8cm x 8cm, and no smaller than 3cm in at least one of its dimensions. The image for publication should be of good technical quality and…
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BANK VALUATION OF HOUSES CONTINUES TO RISE

The price of the square meter in the country was valued at 1,141 euros, the highest value since May 2011.

The banking valuation of houses has increased for seven consecutive months. The price at which banks evaluate households when granting housing loans doesn't stop rising. The trend of this indicator accompanies the upward trend in house prices in Portugal.

According to the official data, the average value of the bank evaluation of the homes in October was 1,141 euros per square meter. This figure corresponds to an increase of six euros compared to the value registered in the previous month and is also the highest level since May 2011.
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WHAT ARE THE MAIN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS TO COLLECT A DEBT IN PORTUGAL?

The most common debt collecting legal proceedings applicable in Portugal are as follows:

Ordinary proceeding
The ordinary proceedings in the first instance can be divided into declarative proceedings and enforcement proceedings. In a declarative proceeding, the court decides on the merit of the litigation between the parties. In an enforcement proceeding, the court enforces a judgment or an enforceable title such as a cheque.

Declarative proceeding 
After a claim is submitted to the court, it is served to the defendant. The service is generally carried out by registered mail. When it is shown to be impossible to serve the complaint via registered mail, the service is instead made through direct contact. The defendant then has 30 days to present his reply, where he can defend himself by alleging procedural objections, arguing that facts are not true, or stating other facts. The defendant may also file a counterclaim. However, it must be connected with the main claim or with the defence a…
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