In the beginning of August, the current government, led by Luís Montenegro, approved a new legislative amendment to correct the previous administration’s missteps, especially in relation to the Mais Habitação Program. Under the previous government, short-term rental licenses became non-transferable, even in cases such as death, divorce or succession, and were given a five-year lifespan. However, the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, recently announced the end of this expiration date and revoked the ban on transferring short-term rental licenses.
According to the minister, “municipalities should be the ones responsible for decision-making on the rules governing the operation of short-term rentals in the areas of greatest demand”, emphasizing that these decisions should be tailored to the specific housing needs of each locality.
This initiative is part of a broader effort by Luís Montenegro’s government, which during his election campaign promised to repeal the rules established by the Mais Habitação program, created by António Costa’s government. One of the first concrete actions in this direction took place on June 21, when Parliament approved an important achievement for short-term rental owners: the legislative authorization that allows the government to eliminate the Extraordinary Contribution on Local Accommodation (CEAL) and the increase in IMI applicable to this sector. With this decision, short-term rental owners will be relieved of the payment of charges for the year 2023, as the measure has retroactive effect.
These changes represent a significant step in the restructuring of the short-term rentals market policies and show a clear commitment by the government to adjust legislation according to local circumstances and the needs of citizens and the market, especially with regard to the management of short-term rentals.
