Condominiums lose powers to shut down local tourist accommodation

Condominium residents or the associations that represent them will lose the discretionary power that they currently have that allows them, provided that they had the support of two-thirds of the building’s residents, to close one or more local accommodation apartments (AL) existing in the building.

The final decision will still be in the hands of local mayors and there will be arbitration and mediation mechanisms between the various parties, with the law providing for the possibility of municipalities being able to appoint a mediator.

The measures, which are included in the set of amendments approved by the Government at the end of May, were confirmed to business daily Negócios by an official source from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing.

The decree law now awaits opinions from the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores and the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities (ANMP) and only then will be ready for promulgation.