Portugal's António Costa proposes measure mirroring Denmark's vacant‑home law
📌 Key Highlights & Context
- Owners must use their homes as a residence for at least 180 days a year
- If a property stays empty for more than six weeks, owners must notify the municipality, which can assign a tenant
- The proposal aims to boost housing supply and ease price pressure, pending parliamentary debate
In Lisbon, Prime Minister António Costa unveiled a draft legislation modelled on Denmark's bopælspligt (residence obligation) law, which has been in force for years. The measure seeks to ensure that homes left empty for long periods are put to use, obliging owners to keep their properties occupied for residential purposes.
The bill would require owners to either reside in their homes or rent them out for at least 180 days per year. Should a dwelling remain vacant for more than six weeks, the owner must report it to the local municipality, which may then identify an interested tenant and compel the owner to sign a lease agreement.
Denmark's system gives local authorities the power to monitor vacant homes and, when conditions are met, enforce rental contracts. Portugal's adoption of a similar framework is seen as a step toward increasing housing stock and relieving upward pressure on prices. The proposal is expected to be debated in Parliament in the coming weeks and could become law if approved.