Evictions in Portugal Surged Over 40 Percent in 2025 as Government Plans to Make Them Even Faster
The number of formal evictions carried out in Portugal exceeded 1,400 in 2025, a rise of more than 40 percent compared with the previous year, according to data reported by Publico on Friday. The sharp increase comes just as the government prepares...
The number of formal evictions carried out in Portugal exceeded 1,400 in 2025, a rise of more than 40 percent compared with the previous year, according to data reported by Publico on Friday. The sharp increase comes just as the government prepares new legislation designed to speed up the eviction process further when tenants fall behind on rent.
The proposed diploma, which is expected to be presented in the coming weeks, would streamline judicial proceedings in cases of non-payment, aiming to give landlords greater confidence that they can reclaim their properties quickly. The government has argued that the measure is essential to encouraging more homeowners to place their properties on the rental market, thereby increasing supply and easing a housing crisis that has defined Portuguese domestic politics for the better part of three years.
A Contradiction in the Data
Yet the latest figures complicate that narrative. Even without the proposed fast-track mechanism, evictions are already accelerating at a pace not seen in recent years. At the same time, the supply of rental housing has been growing, which undermines the argument that landlords are abandoning the market due to a lack of legal protections.
Housing associations have warned that the government risks prioritising landlord interests at the expense of tenants who are already under enormous pressure from rising rents. In Lisbon and Porto, average asking rents have continued to climb through the first quarter of 2026, with some districts recording year-on-year increases of more than 15 percent.
What It Means for Residents and Newcomers
For the hundreds of thousands of foreign residents now living in Portugal, the eviction data is particularly concerning. Many immigrants and expatriates rent rather than buy, and a significant number are on fixed-term contracts that offer limited protection. Community organisations working with immigrant populations in Greater Lisbon have reported a steady increase in requests for legal advice related to housing disputes since late 2024.
The tension between encouraging investment in rental stock and protecting sitting tenants is not unique to Portugal, but the speed at which the market is shifting here has caught many off guard. With evictions rising sharply and new legislation poised to tilt the balance further toward property owners, tenant advocates are calling for the government to pair its reforms with stronger safeguards, including longer notice periods and expanded access to emergency housing for families facing displacement.
The legislation is expected to go before parliament in April. How lawmakers balance these competing pressures will be closely watched by a population for whom the cost and security of housing has become the defining domestic issue of the decade.
