Rent goes to debate: PS against and Enough threat. What have you said?

Non the eve of Parliament discussing the New Urban Rent Scheme (NRAU), some of the measures that will be presented by the Government, namely more flexible contracts and faster evictions, are already known.

The eviction can be started after two months of late rents (instead of the current three). There are still procedural formalities that disappear: so far a court decision in favour of eviction opened another procedure for the execution of the eviction, and then it led to the eviction itself, now this government proposal eliminates this step, and the initial opinion of a judge is sufficient.

They also want to drop the 2% increase brake for a new contract (in relation to the previous contract), with the exception only for persons over 65 or disabled with 60% or more disability and less than EUR 64,400 annual income. Landlords may also require three (instead of two) advance and no value limit.

But what have you said?

The Prime Minister expressed his confidence this afternoon that the government’s housing policy will have results and ensured that the Executive “will not be intimidated” and will “end” its objectives in this area. However, disapproval has already been heard and can even dictate the lead of the proposal.

Opposition parties, tenant associations and housing movements had already criticised the measures, considering that the unprotectiveness of those renting houses increases, and now, on the eve of the debate, PS and Arrive clarified their positions.

“ We will vote against”, says PS

The PS has already announced that it will vote against disagreement with its content and with the option of legislating on the margins of Parliament, having submitted a bill to create a public guarantee mechanism for housing security.

The decision was announced by the PS parliamentary leader, Eurico Brilhante Dias, at a press conference in which he considered that the PSD/CDS-PP Executive intends to obtain from the Assembly of the Republic “a blank check” with this proposal, with a view to introducing measures that will “create growing insecurity in tenants”.

Eurico Brilhante Dias did not exclude, however, that the government's proposal would be reduced to the specialty without a vote on Wednesday. “If it is not voted, it is because the government recognizes that it has not built a majority and understands to lower itself in vote. If you decide to download without a vote, the theme is different”, said, adding: “Historically, we have always voted in favour [down to committee without a vote]”.

The parliamentary leader of the PS accused the government of “legislating against one of the parties and thinking that the solution to housing problems, in particular the rental market, is at the expense of security, or rather the insecurity of tenants”. “Not that, and so we will vote against”, he justified.

Enough threat: “No good”

Also the president of the Aquida challenged the government to allow the commission to go down, without voting, the proposal to review the urban lease regime and threatened to vote against it if the Executive does not. “This diploma, as it is, does not fit. And by not serving, it should not continue to be put to the vote of Parliament,” said André Ventura.

The leader of the Aquida said that “if the diploma continues as it is, it will not pass in Parliament”, since the PS has also announced that it will vote against Wednesday.

André Ventura indicated that his party received “some contacts from the government” on this diploma and urged the Executive to amend the bill that led to Parliament, making it available to negotiate in committee.

The president of Cávez considered that “people cannot bear to have a regime in which rents continue to increase” and asked for penalties for “some minorities” who “have public or less public houses and who do not pay income because they do not want to”.

Also the parliamentary leader of PCP used to criticize the proposal, after a meeting with the Ministers of State and Finance, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, and Parliamentary Affairs, Carlos Abreu Amorim, on the main lines of the proposal of the State Budget Executive for 2027.

Paula Santos pointed out the measure as an example of the Executive's intention to facilitate the precariousness, instability and evictions in favor of speculation, announced that the party will take the discussion initiatives to protect those who have credit for housing, channel the profits of the bank to support the rise in interest and ensure "greater stability and rights of tenants".

On Wednesday, in plenary of the Assembly of the Republic, in addition to the legislative authorization of the Government for the review of the urban lease regime, will be discussed bills of five parties (PCP, IL, BE, Livre and PS).