Lisbon halts AL licences in five districts due to tourist overload

Paul Rees 11 October 2018

Lisbon Council is not granting any new Alojamento Local licences in five districts of the capital as part of an attempt to stop these areas becoming ‘tourist only’ zones.

According to a Council report, Urban Tourism Study in Lisbon,’ the districts of Alfama, Mouraria e Castelo have been affected with Bairro Alto and Madragoa soon to follow.

Lisbon’s City Council announced on October 4th that it would submit a proposal "to limit the granting of new Alojamento Local (short-term tourist letting) licences."

At the time, Lisbon’s councilor for housing, Paula Marquês, pointed out that limiting licences "is fundamental" and "can be presented immediately" in order to halt the further development of tourism facilities.

The government's short-term lettings Decree Law comes into effect on October 22nd. This allows Councils to decide how many licences will be granted and in which areas.

The legislation provides for the creation of a Council unit to inspect AL properties and act quickly when there are complaints from residents.

Lisbon and Porto are the most affected by the upsurge in short-term 'city break' tourist numbers, more so than in the less frenetic holiday region of the Algarve where there is a more equitable mix of hotels, aparthotels and private accommodation available.

As much as 50% of the AL accommodation provision in the Algarve remains illicit with property owners letting to networks of previous renters and their contacts, the landlord staying well clear of bookings websites which now must carry AL registration numbers.

Comments

0 #3 BS 2018-10-12 14:40

You are only breaking the law when that law is created, if you want to rent a spare room, you can't because a new law was created, no distinction between one room or a hotel, if you want to rent a spare room, who cares, if you are renting on a commercial basis ok, otherwise leave me alone, when the tide turns, aka, a financial crises happens, look at the dow jones index today, and the tourism sector dries up, who will this police state start taxing, i'm sure someone is dreaming up new ways to tax the Portuguese as you read this, but this country is a small country with an ever shrinking population and work force, who will pay the taxes, not the big fish, that's for sure. I see big trouble for little Portugal on the horizon...

-1 #2 Nogin the Nog 2018-10-12 12:13

Hmmm ..... Are these not the posh areas - so these will be VIP's limiting the great unwashed in their neighbourhoods?

0 #1 mj1 2018-10-11 22:11

and of course loads of people will have their "friends" staying over while they are away :zzz