In November, changes to the legal regime for the operation of local accommodation establishments came into force. With the new rules, it is extremely important that all owners of tourist accommodation establishments take the necessary precautions to avoid any negative surprises or the loss of their registration.
In this text, we have separated all the obligations that AL owners have to fulfil as operational requirements. Take a look!
Liability insurance
From now on, it is mandatory for the holder of the accommodation to take out and keep valid a non-contractual civil liability insurance policy that guarantees property and non-material damage caused to guests and third parties in the course of providing accommodation services, with a minimum capital of EUR 75 000 per claim.
In the case of a local accommodation establishment integrated in a building under horizontal property division, the owner of the establishment is also obliged to take out and prove the existence of valid insurance to guarantee property damage cover directly caused by fire in, or originating from, the establishment. The lack of valid insurance provides grounds for cancellation of the registration.
Information book
This was already a request done upon inspection but now it is compulsory for all AL establishments to provide guests with a book with information in Portuguese, English and two other languages on the rules of operation, use of the accommodation, waste disposal and noise rules. If it exists, the condominium regulations should also be part of the information book. In addition, the document must also have the telephone contact details of the person in charge of running the establishment.
LovelyStay, aware of this new rule and considering the importance for guests, is already placing this book in all its flats in four languages: Portuguese, English, Spanish and French, a process that will be completed quickly!
Maximum guest capacity
The calculation of the maximum capacity is clarified in the modalities of housing, flat, room and accommodation establishment: it is determined by multiplying the number of rooms by 2, plus the possibility of welcoming two more users in the living room. In these same modalities and if there are good conditions for it, each unit may also include a maximum of two additional beds for children up to the age of 12.
AL Sign
In the case of flats and rooms, a sign should be fixed at the entrance of the establishment. In the case of hostels, the sign must be affixed outside the building, next to the main entrance.
** Information: Tourism in Portugal
These new rules had already been established in October 2018, but the government allowed for a two-year adaptation so that all establishments had the time to meet all requirements, and now it is officially mandatory.
Get to know here all the new rules and changes to the law on the official website of Turismo de Portugal.
