Albufeira's Forum : more legislation for holiday home owners?

more legislation for holiday home owners? : Algarveaddick wrote:There is...

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 01:06:21 +0000

Author: Orada-man
Subject: 12225
Posted: 06/June/2024 at 01:06

Algarveaddick wrote:

There is a big difference between renting to a permanent tenant and a holiday let though, Tom. I think the idiot in charge of the UK has kicked the can down the road as far as boilers are concerned, hasn't he?

Some might say better the devil you know....UK politics have no place here.

As regards Portuguese politics and regulations one must ask how easy have the Portuguese made things for those wishing to legitimately rent properties which are effectively their life savings and pension?

I have found the regulations so obstructive and over powering that I have now opted out. I know that leaves a property mostly uninhabited for a large part of the year but it's mine, I bought it with hard earned cash and I can do as I please.

I certainly didn't buy it as some socialist project to help others or the Portuguese government. I pay the taxes, utilities and all other costs, I pay my taxes, contribute to the Portuguese government, don't use Uber, Bolt or TVDE and don't claim anything from the Portuguese so I term myself as a net + to Portugal.

Sadly I know of many who do not fit that bill, rape and pillage the country for every cent they can, avoid taxes, facilitate unregistered and uninsured airport transfers and still expect the best of standards when they visit or live here.

The two simply don't align.

more legislation for holiday home owners? : cubsur wrote:If you suspect...

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 08:29:39 +0000

Author: Algarveaddick
Subject: 12225
Posted: 22/September/2023 at 08:29

cubsur wrote:

If you suspect apartment owners in your block are illegally renting to tourists, alert condominium management. If a tourist sets fire to the place, it is highly likely that any insurance would not cover it. Have the owner of said apartment dealt with.

Buying homes to rent is not confined to Portugal, although I read yesterday that tens of thousands of buy to let properties in UK are for sale as owners wish to avoid the crippling costs on the horizon for the mandatory replacement of gas boilers etc.

more legislation for holiday home owners? : cubsur wrote:If you suspect...

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 08:26:07 +0000

Author: dpx3001
Subject: 12225
Posted: 22/September/2023 at 08:26

cubsur wrote:

I did exactly that and condominium management decided to "check" and "determine that nice couple lives there". It was a complete lie since up to eight people slept every night in small T1, in different configurations. Condominium management basically covered for the apartment owner. I had to activate my lawyers who threatened apartment owner with the lawsuit before more problematic "tourists" stopped arriving. Now, not with much less noise, this or that couple stays for 15-30 days, which is again illegal AL. Using the lawyers is efficient but costly so I am not trigger happy to do it again.

This building is supposedly one of the fanciest in the vicinity of the bullring, so things like this should not happen. However (no generalization intended) last years several apartments changed hands and went to the French-Portuguese owners, who rent in a who-the-hell-cares-about-laws mode. At the same time there are at least 2-3 British owners who have proper AL apartments, are (I am 99% sure) aware of this illegal AL apartments, but from whatever reason they don't do anything to prevent unfair competition. From this location, illegal AL is not an exception, it is the majority of "business".

more legislation for holiday home owners? : If you suspect apartment owners...

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 08:01:04 +0000

Author: cubsur
Subject: 12225
Posted: 22/September/2023 at 08:01

more legislation for holiday home owners? : There is A LOT of non-registered...

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 10:25:04 +0000

Author: dpx3001
Subject: 12225
Posted: 21/September/2023 at 10:25

There is A LOT of non-registered 'tourist' apartments. In my building alone there are several AL and twice as much illegal ones. I am surprised that legitimate AL owners didn't organize this long to report illegal ones. Having better taxes than long term lease contracts and turning blind eye to the illegal 'colleagues' at the same time seems odd.

Current AL taxes (6%, right?) are (were?) very much stimulating any apartment to turn to AL instead of long term lease, where taxes start at 28% and can drop to 10% with unlimited contract. Can't say it was fair market to start with.

I can understand how low AL taxes could drive apartment sales in the past years, bit Machiavellian if it was intentional.

more legislation for holiday home owners? : Looking at the the other way,...

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 11:47:38 +0000

Author: Algarveaddick
Subject: 12225
Posted: 16/September/2023 at 11:47

Looking at the the other way, how handy for the rich owners of hotels and aparthotels to have rivals taken out of the game...

Cynical, moi?

more legislation for holiday home owners? : in the UK especially London the...

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:16:16 +0000

Author: rob67
Subject: 12225
Posted: 15/September/2023 at 13:16

in the UK especially London the developer must pay a CIL to the local authority to accommodate some local infrastructure in the local area. Big developments must build a percentage for social housing and give it to a HA to manage. As for the oiks mixing with the rich it doesnt need to be on the same site as long as the percentage is met. Although it does need to be close.

more legislation for holiday home owners? : I am sure they could try, as they...

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 08:22:55 +0000

Author: cubsur
Subject: 12225
Posted: 15/September/2023 at 08:22

I am sure they could try, as they do in other countries, but how do you define 'affordable'?

How would local councils fund such plans?

Anyway, can't have workers on minimum wage mixing with the affluent visitors.

Luckily there are apartments that cannot be tourist rentals for various reasons over and above any legislation.

more legislation for holiday home owners? : Could the government not bring...

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 13:18:40 +0000

Author: rob67
Subject: 12225
Posted: 14/September/2023 at 13:18

Could the government not bring in a law that any new developments must have a percentage for social housing/affordable.

more legislation for holiday home owners? : mrandyd wrote:It’s an almost...

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 08:40:26 +0000

Author: cubsur
Subject: 12225
Posted: 14/September/2023 at 08:40

mrandyd wrote:

It’s an almost impossible balance between locals and holiday makers.

This is true. Local councils cannot afford to build 'affordable' housing when property developers are prepared to pay a much higher price for the plot of land. Profit takes preference over altruism. All around me are new apartment blocks and houses priced way out of the reach of the average resident.

The holidaymakers and second home owners are among the first to complain when service at the restaurant is slow because they are short of staff.

more legislation for holiday home owners? : It’s an almost impossible balance...

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 08:07:23 +0000

Author: mrandyd
Subject: 12225
Posted: 14/September/2023 at 08:07

It’s an almost impossible balance between locals and holiday makers.

more legislation for holiday home owners? : Thanks for reply. It makes sense...

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 23:06:17 +0000

Author: Norm55
Subject: 12225
Posted: 13/September/2023 at 23:06

Thanks for reply. It makes sense now. Its similar here in N Wales, second home owners are being charged 300% increase in their council tax. I can understand it, the locals are priced out etc but bit annoying in the Algarve,when many apartment blocks were built for holiday occupation.

more legislation for holiday home owners? : This has been on the cards for...

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 08:08:24 +0000

Author: cubsur
Subject: 12225
Posted: 12/September/2023 at 08:08

This has been on the cards for quite a while. There is growing concern in many cities and towns about the number of even small properties being rented out to tourists for €1,000 or more a week rather than being occupied by working people at a much lower price. Some local councils have already banned the issue of more AL licences. In my block of seven small apartments, two are exclusively tourist rentals and one is a holiday home owned by a couple from the UK. In many the ratio is higher.

It's all very well coming on holiday and going Airbnb, VRBO etc, but wher are the people who work in the restaurants and bars going to live when they might earn only €300 a week?

There is also concern in some areas about noise and disruption to civic life caused by tourists who are only there for two weeks and simply don't care that people who work do actually wish to sleep while they are partying until 5am

more legislation for holiday home owners? : anyone know what this new bureaucracy...

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 19:26:23 +0000

Author: Norm55
Subject: 12225
Posted: 11/September/2023 at 19:26

anyone know what this new bureaucracy is? VRBO have recently copied this to AL licence holders

Hello,

As anactive member of the Alojamento Local community in Portugal, it is importantthat you know that the Government of Portugal’s Mais Habitaçao Law Package willprobably be approved soon by the national Parliament. This law, if finallyapproved, will have a strong impact in all the Alojamento Local units of thecountry, making the activity more difficult, expensive and complicated for yourcustomers. Although the law was vetoed by the President of Republic because itwas not fit for purpose, according to his analysis, the Portuguese governmenthas publicly showed its intention to pass it without any change in the comingweeks.

Unfortunately,despite the benefits, jobs and revenue that Alojamento Local brings year afteryear to every corner of Portugal, this law will soon be a reality if theGovernment does not change its mind. We would like to make you know that you,as a citizen, company, entrepreneur or family, can take action to try to changethis situation. It is your right to urge your local Member of the Parliament toopen up the legislative process in the Parliament again. If you make thishappen, the Parliament will be able to listen to what the Alojamento Localcommunity thinks and to make changes in the law so that it does not hamper theAL activity, and, as a consequence, the future of Portugal as a leading tourismdestination.

Let yourvoice be heard for the future of Alojamento Local and Portugal! You will find Click here to find MP contactinformation and you can reach out to the political groups through the contactdetails found here.