fiador

Published 5 November 2026, 06:07

A guarantor for a rental: if the tenant stops paying, the landlord claims the debt from the guarantor. Landlords usually want a fiador with Portuguese income and ask them for several months of recibos de vencimento and an IRS return. Without a guarantor, tenants offer rent paid in advance, rent insurance or a bank guarantee instead — but advance rent is now capped at two months, as is the deposit, and the landlord is not obliged to accept a substitute for a guarantor.

Where you come across it. Signing a rental contract, especially in Lisbon and Porto, when you do not yet have a local job or tax history.

Some people offer to act as a “fiador for a fee”. Check exactly who is signing and how they prove their income — the person liable for the debt will be the one whose name is on the contract.

Guides

How to rent a home in Portugal Mortgages in Portugal: what makes up the interest rate and what a foreigner will be asked for