7,200+ clients relocated
Agents from Braga to Faro
How a search runs
Most run two to four weeks from an activated search to a signed lease.
You send the brief from wherever you are: budget, neighbourhoods, must-haves, the date you need to be in. Your agent views in person, films what's worth your time and cuts the list before you see it. You shortlist from video. When you pick one, the lease goes to a Portuguese lawyer before you sign.
That last step is where things surface. On one recent contract it was six months' rent demanded up front, against a legal cap of two. On another, a second deposit dressed up as a month's rent, held to the end of the term. On a third, a lease that said nothing at all about leaving early, which the tenant had read as being locked in for the year.
You are four thousand miles away, trying to judge a flat from eight photographs and a drive past on Street View.
Was the listing posted last week or last March? Is the landlord real? Would the holding deposit they want today ever come back? From a distance you can't answer any of it, and the flat is lovely, and the viewing is tomorrow.
Everything else about a move can be handled remotely. This is the one part that needs someone physically in the room. That's what the search gives you.
Someone on your side of the table
In Portugal the estate agent works for the landlord. The agent we match you with works for you, so you hear what's actually wrong with the place before you commit to it.
Viewings you did not have to fly to
Your agent goes in person, films it properly and tells you what the photos left out. Wide angle lenses hide a lot. Traffic noise and mould don't show up in a listing.
A lawyer reads the lease
Everybody in a property chain gets paid when you sign. A Portuguese lawyer who doesn't is the right person to read your contract first. Included, and normally ā¬100.
Client story
Having someone on their side is how Ersel and Kübra found a cat-friendly flat in Lisbon by video call while they were still in Turkey. Read their story →
What it costs
You pay Novomove nothing. Here is the whole picture.
The agency's fee is one month's rent, and that's all of it. It's split into a payment to start the search and the balance when you sign. Same fee everywhere in the network, whichever region you end up in.
Introduction and matching
Novomove
Free
To start the search
Paid to the agency once you're matched
ā¬250
When the lease is signed
Paid to the agency. One month's rent, minus the ā¬250 already paid
Balance
Lease review by a Portuguese lawyer
Novomove, once your search is active
Included
On a flat at ā¬1,200 a month
You pay the agency ā¬250 to start and ā¬950 when you sign. That's ā¬1,200 in total, one month's rent. Your rent, your deposit and your utility bills are separate and go to the landlord on the usual Portuguese terms.
The agency pays us a fee when a search goes ahead. It doesn't change what you pay them.
Why people ask for help with this
What goes wrong when you rent from a distance
The flat that doesn't exist
Photos lifted from another listing, a landlord who's abroad and very keen on a deposit today. Your agent checks who actually owns the property at the Land Registry before any money moves.
The flat that exists and is grim
Portuguese buildings run older and colder than the photos suggest. Damp on the north wall, a tram outside the bedroom, no heating at all. Someone standing in it will tell you.
The lease that isn't registered
If the landlord hasn't registered the lease with FinanƧas, you're on weak ground as a tenant and your visa or residence file is missing a document it needs. This is the one that costs people months.
And the market moves
A good flat in Lisbon or Porto can be gone inside a day or two. Applications that arrive complete, in Portuguese, from someone the agent already knows, get answered first.
How it works
From brief to keys
You send your brief
Region, budget, bedrooms, when you need to be in, whether the lease has to work for a visa. Two minutes.
We read it and pass it on
If it fits, it goes to our partner network. If it doesn't, we say so and tell you what would work instead. Either way you hear from us within 48 hours.
A free call with the network's team
Thirty minutes to go through what you actually want, what your budget really buys in that area, and how quickly you can move. No charge and nothing to commit to.
You are matched with a local agent
Someone who actually works in your region and knows its landlords. The search starts when you pay the ā¬250 to the agency.
They search, view and negotiate
Public listings plus their own contacts. Viewings done for you, with video and an honest opinion. They put your application together properly, then negotiate the price and the clauses.
A lawyer reads the lease, then you sign
This part is ours. You send us the contract, a Portuguese lawyer goes through it and tells you what to change before your signature is on anything.
Included with your search
The lease review is the part we do ourselves.
Your agent gets paid when you sign. So does the landlord's agent. A Portuguese lawyer who has no stake in whether you sign is the right person to read it first. Normally ā¬100 on its own, included once your search is active.
None of these were scam contracts. Every one came from an ordinary landlord, drafted by someone whose job is to look after the landlord.
What the lawyer told them to change
Tenant pays ā¬7,000 on signature: six months' rent in advance plus the balance of the deposit.
Cap advance rent at two months, unless you have chosen to pay more for your own convenience.
Portuguese law caps advance rent at two months where the landlord sets the terms. Six months up front only stands if it was your idea. Get the landlord to confirm in writing which it was.
First month's rent, one month's deposit, then a further month's rent held back and returned at the end if the flat is in good order.
Ask for one deposit, named as a deposit.
That third payment was a second deposit wearing a different label. Held to the end, returned only on condition. Not illegal, but it doubled the cash at risk and the tenant got nothing for it.
Early termination triggers a fixed penalty of ā¬900. Deposit forfeited.
Ask for no penalty if the visa is refused, on proof. A defined notice period. Prepaid rent for unused months returned.
A deposit covers damage and arrears. It is not an automatic fine for leaving, and the landlord has to prove real loss. The visa clause matters more. Nobody wants to be paying Portuguese rent on a refusal.
Tenant responsible for repairing appliances after the first year.
Ask for the landlord to keep the property fit for use for the full term. You cover minor upkeep and anything you break.
The lease ran two years. The appliance cover ran one. From month thirteen the fridge, the washing machine and the air conditioning were all going to be the tenant's bill.
You get a written summary of what to change and why, in plain English, ready to take back to the landlord. We don't redraft the contract itself. That stays between you and them. Turnaround for referred clients: 2 to 3 business days.
How the lease review works
Scope
What the search covers, and what it doesn't
Covered
āLong-term residential lets, twelve months and up
āLisbon, Cascais, Porto, Braga and Coimbra with their metro areas
āThe Algarve coast, including Lagos, PortimĆ£o, Albufeira, Vilamoura and Faro
āMadeira, including Funchal
āPublic listings and the agent's own off-market contacts
āHelp getting utilities set up once you're in
Not covered
āHoliday and short stays. If you need a few months while you look, book that yourself and start the search once you're here
āRooms and flat shares
āCommercial property
āThe Azores. No agent in the network covers the islands
āBuying. This is rentals only
āSigning a lease without a NIF. You'll need one first, and we do those in five to seven business days at ā¬79
Before you send the form
There's a budget floor, and it's a real one.
The network works from ā¬1,200 a month in Lisbon and the Algarve, and from ā¬1,000 a month in Porto, Braga and Coimbra. Below those numbers there's very little an agent can actually get you, and sending you into a paid search that won't produce anything wouldn't be fair. If you're under the floor, send the form anyway. We'll tell you straight, and point you at what your budget does reach.
ā¬1,200
a month, minimum
Lisbon and the greater Lisbon area, Cascais, and the Algarve.
ā¬1,000
a month, minimum
Porto, Braga and Coimbra with their surrounding areas.
Being straight with you
Not every brief gets picked up.
The agents in the network choose the searches they take on. Timing, region and how workable the budget is all come into it, and sometimes nobody in your area can take yours. We'd rather put that on the page than have you find out by never hearing back.
So here's the deal. Within 48 hours of your brief arriving you get an answer from us, matched or not. If nobody takes it, we tell you why and point you at the areas and price points where you'd have more luck.
While you're looking
The things people usually need alongside a lease
Portuguese NIF Ā· ā¬79
You can't sign a lease without one. Five to seven business days, and twelve months of tax representation is in the price.
Lease review Ā· ā¬100
Already found somewhere on your own? A Portuguese lawyer reads the contract and tells you what to change before you sign.
D7 and D8 visa support
If the lease is for a visa file, the whole dossier gets reviewed by a Portuguese immigration lawyer before it goes in.
What clients say
In their words.
★★★★★
Genuinely excellent
“Immigrating to another country is intimidating and having people who know the system behind you changes everything. They're professional, they're helpful, and they went beyond what I was expecting. I'd recommend them to anyone moving to Portugal without hesitation.”
Marsida Hoxha
– Verified client
★★★★★
They check in on you
“The team here doesn't wait for you to chase them. They check in, they go past what you'd expect, and they come back fast. Anyone relocating to Portugal should talk to them.”
Luca Bertoli
– Verified client
★★★★★
No surprises anywhere
“Told me exactly what the process was, what it cost, and what they needed from me. No hidden fees turning up later. The help-chat was quick and I always knew who was actually handling my file.”
Brett Sorensen
– Verified client
★★★★★
Quick to reply, easy to deal with
“There were a couple of steps I completely misunderstood and they walked me back through them without making me feel stupid. Really happy with how it went.”
Katrin
– Verified client
Collected directly from our clients after their service is complete. Read all reviews →
Questions
The ones we get asked most
What does Novomove charge for this?
Nothing. The introduction, the matching and the lease review are all on us. The agency pays us a fee when a search goes ahead. That's how we make money on this, and it doesn't change what you pay them.
Who do I pay, and when?
The agency, twice. ā¬250 when your search starts, then the balance of one month's rent when you sign the lease. On a ā¬1,200 flat that's ā¬250 then ā¬950. Rent, deposit and bills go to the landlord separately, on normal Portuguese terms.
What happens if no agent takes my search?
We tell you within 48 hours and explain why. Nothing has been paid at that stage, because the ā¬250 only comes into it once you've been matched and had the call.
Do I need a NIF before I can rent?
Yes. A Portuguese landlord can't register a lease without your NIF, so it needs to exist before you sign. Ours is ā¬79 and takes five to seven business days after you e-sign the power of attorney. Start it while the search runs.
Will the lease work for my visa application?
Our lawyer checks the things that normally cause trouble, including the term, the clauses and whether the landlord has registered it with FinanƧas. What a consulate accepts is their decision, not ours, so we don't promise an outcome. If the lease is part of a D7, D8 or D2 file, the visa packages include a full dossier review by an immigration lawyer.
Can you help me buy instead of rent?
The search covers rentals only, but send the brief anyway and tell us you're buying. We read it and get back to you with the right next step. The contract to be careful with is the promissory agreement, the CPCV, and that needs a lawyer with property experience before you sign anything or transfer a deposit. If you'd rather talk it through first, book the free call.
Can I see the places in person?
Yes, if you're in Portugal or can get there. Most people do it remotely with video from the agent, which is the point of having someone local. If you're flying over for a viewing week, say so in the brief and the agent will cluster the appointments.
How long does a search usually take?
Most searches run two to four weeks from activation to a signed lease. It moves faster when your budget is realistic for the area and you can decide quickly. Good flats in Lisbon and Porto go within a day or two, so an agent who can view on your behalf at short notice matters more than anything else.
Do you cover the Azores, or short stays?
Neither. The network covers the mainland and Madeira, and works on leases of twelve months and up. For a few months while you look, book something yourself and start the search once you're on the ground.
Who is the agency?
A Portuguese agency network we've worked with, with agents across the mainland and Madeira. We introduce them once your brief has been accepted rather than publishing their details, which keeps the search running through one thread instead of five. You'll be dealing with them directly from the first call.
Send the brief and let someone else do the scrolling.
Two minutes now, an answer from us within 48 hours. You've got a move to organise, and the flat-hunting doesn't have to be your part of it.
No payment, no account to create.
Novomove is a relocation technology platform. We are not a bank, an accountant, a tax or investment adviser, a law firm, an estate agency or a letting agent. The rental search is carried out by a Portuguese agency network, and the lease review by a licensed Portuguese lawyer from our partner network. We introduce you and coordinate, and the agency pays us a fee when a search goes ahead.