A €10 bet sank a mortgage, the CIPLE listening test was the hardest part, and a relative can bring a dog from Poland
A bank refused a mortgage over one €10 sports bet. Reddit says try another bank and don't bet for three to six months
On Reddit a buyer said her bank had turned down her mortgage because of a single sports bet. In September she placed €10 with a legal online bookmaker, won three times as much and withdrew the money to her account, and the bank saw it on her statement. The flat she wanted to buy went to someone else.
Many do not believe the €10 was the only reason. They say the bank looks at how much of your income the loan repayments will take, and if that is already at the limit, any sign of instability becomes a reason to say no. Others say they got a mortgage despite betting regularly, one of them from Caixa Geral de Depósitos.
“The problem wasn't the €10 bet; it's that your repayments are already at the limit. I had gambling problems, thousands of euros went through my account. Last year I got a mortgage approved, so I don't think that's it. It's more a sign of instability, and banks don't like instability.”
Translated from Portugueser/ImobiliarioEmPortugal05.11.2026
“Two years ago, when I was getting a mortgage, I was betting regularly, topping up my account and withdrawing money through Betclic, and the bank (CGD) approved the loan quickly.”
Translated from Portugueser/ImobiliarioEmPortugal06.11.2026
But there are stories pointing the other way too: according to one person whose friend works for a mortgage broker, banks will not approve a loan if they see any transfers at all to betting sites on a statement. Another was advised by a broker not to list cryptocurrency among their assets, because some banks turn applicants down for it.
“If the bank sees ANY betting-related movement on your statement, it won't approve even a loan for a stall on Rossio. But nothing stops you waiting a few months and trying again. In three or four months you send your statements again, and if there are no bets on them at all, they may well approve it.”
Translated from Portugueser/ImobiliarioEmPortugal06.11.2026
“My mortgage broker told me straight out not to include the crypto I have in my list of assets, because some banks, when they assess the risk, turn down people who have it.”
Translated from Portugueser/ImobiliarioEmPortugal05.11.2026
Before granting a mortgage, the bank goes through your account statements for the last few months, and judging by the discussion, even a one-off transfer to a betting site can cost you approval. So the advice is not to bet at all for three to six months before applying.
If you have already been turned down, the advice is to wait and apply to a different bank: the one that refused you is unlikely to say yes a second time.
“Now you need to change banks, not bet on anything and wait three to six months or so. You're unlikely to get approved at this bank now.”
Translated from Portugueser/ImobiliarioEmPortugal05.11.2026
Barcelona's rent cap lowered average rents, but flats got smaller. On Reddit people argue over whether Portugal needs one
In Portugal, a rent cap is being demanded at tent protests and in a petition that parliament will debate. On r/portugal people looked at the experience of Barcelona, where such a cap has been in force for three years. Newspapers report that average rents there have fallen by 4.4%. The author of the post took a closer look at the data: the flats being rented out have got smaller, from 75 to 71 m² on average, the price per square metre has risen to a record €17.13 a month, and there are far fewer listings.
Most replies are against a cap: it helps those who already rent, while those looking for a home are left with only expensive listings. Instead, people suggest taxing empty homes, limiting short-term lets, issuing building permits faster, building taller and building more public housing.
“A rent cap doesn't work: it only helps those who are already renting, and anyone looking will only find speculative prices. I have friends in Barcelona looking for a T1 or T0, and prices are very high even on the outskirts.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal06.11.2026
“Raise taxes on empty houses and abandoned plots, cut back short-term lets, make building permits simpler and faster, allow taller buildings in city centres with good transport, more public housing.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal05.11.2026
Others object: fewer listings means people stay in their homes longer and do not have to move out because the rent has gone up. A resident of Madrid, where no cap was introduced, writes that in recent years things there have got worse than in Barcelona.
“Fewer listings — more occupied flats. More active contracts — more occupied flats. Fewer new contracts — people don't have to move out because they can't pay.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal05.11.2026
“I live in Madrid (where the housing law wasn't applied), and over the last few years it's got noticeably worse here; Madrid has overtaken Barcelona.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal05.11.2026
There is also a view that in Portugal the problem cannot be solved without reforming the courts: in Lisbon many people rent without a proper contract or give in to landlords who threaten to end their contract, while landlords are afraid of tenants who stop paying. Others point out that the rent in the contract is often not what is actually paid.
“What's needed is reform of the justice system, not laws that are less fair to tenants. I know loads of people in Lisbon with unofficial contracts and loads of people whose landlords threaten to end their contract, and the tenants give in to the pressure. And landlords are afraid that a tenant will stop paying and they'll have to spend money on a lawyer, and that fear is, on the whole, fair.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal05.11.2026
“Not to mention that the rent in the contract may not match what's actually paid.”
Translated from Portugueser/portugal05.11.2026
The November CIPLE listening test felt too fast, and a tongue-tied partner in the speaking test won't lower your mark
In early November candidates sat CIPLE, the A2-level Portuguese exam whose certificate is accepted for citizenship and permanent residence. The author of a post on Reddit writes that the hardest part was the listening test: the recordings sounded far too fast. The speaking test went fine, although their partner answered in single words and the conversation did not flow.
“I found the listening incredibly hard! It was very, very fast, too fast for me. The speaking went fine, but my partner answered in single words, which made it harder to keep the conversation going.”
r/PortugalExpats05.11.2026
Replies say there is no need to worry about the partner: the speaking test is marked separately for each candidate, on what they themselves say. And the recordings usually seem fast not because of the pace but because unstressed vowels almost disappear in European Portuguese. The advice is to decide whether to resit only once the results arrive.
“Don't worry about a partner who answers in single words: the speaking test is marked separately for each candidate, so on what you say, not on what they answer. And the listening usually seems fast not because of the pace, but because the unstressed vowels disappear. Wait for your results before deciding what to do next.”
r/PortugalExpats06.11.2026
You can send belongings by Rede Expressos coach, and in Porto people complain UPS takes parcels straight to pickup points
Someone in a Lisbon chat asked how to send their belongings to a nearby city. The answer: by intercity coach. Rede Expressos has an official parcel service — you take your package to the coach station and send it from there.
“Coaches — it's an official service”
Translated from Russianchatlisboa06.11.2026
“You go to the Rede Expressos station and send it.”
Translated from Russianchatlisboa07.11.2026
In a Porto chat people are complaining about UPS: one person had six parcels in a row taken off to who knows where, and the delivery company said the address was wrong. Another says that in four years the courier has never once delivered to their door: they mark straight away that nobody was in and leave the parcel at a stationery shop, and after a complaint the next parcel was taken to another city.
“In 4 years they've never once delivered to my home. They just mark it straight away as "nobody home" and take it to the papelaria.”
Translated from Russianchatporto05.11.2026
According to this person, that does not happen with FedEx, DPD, DHL and CTT: they deliver to your door and phone if you are not in. Others think it all depends on the individual courier.
“Well, I guess it depends on the courier here. Some deliver, and some take it straight to a pickup point. With FedEx, DPD, DHL and CTT that doesn't happen. They deliver properly and phone you if you're not home.”
Translated from Russianchatporto05.11.2026
A relative can bring a dog from Poland: the chat advises adding them to the EU pet passport
Someone in a chat asked what paperwork is needed for their sister, rather than the owner, to fly a dog from Poland to Portugal. The dog already has an EU pet passport.
The answer: travel within the European Union is straightforward. The person bringing the dog is added to its passport; they buy a ticket for themselves and either check the dog in as luggage or take it into the cabin.
“In theory there's nothing complicated at all about moving within the EU.”
Translated from Russianportugal_pets06.11.2026
“Add the person carrying it to the EU passport. If the rabies vaccination is up to date, then it's all fine. The carrier buys a ticket for themselves, puts the dog on board (as luggage or in the cabin) and that's it.”
Translated from Russianportugal_pets07.11.2026
The main condition for travel within the EU is a valid rabies vaccination recorded in the passport: without it the dog will not be allowed to fly.
