What does denúncia dos defeitos mean in Portugal?
Denúncia dos defeitos is telling the contractor about defects in the work. The owner must do it within 30 days of discovering them, or loses the rights to have them fixed, a price reduction, termination and compensation under the following articles.
- Rests on
- Código Civil, art. 1220.º to art. 1224.º
- Law
- Código Civil (Decreto-Lei n.º 47344/66), consolidated text updated to Lei n.º 29/2026
- Official text
- pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?ficha=1201&ar...
- Sources
- pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?ficha=1201&ar...
- Checked
- 2026-11-05
What it means for the owner
- If the contractor recognises the defect, that counts as notice (art. 1220.º n.º 2).
- The owner may demand repair or, if impossible, a new build, and later a price reduction or termination if the work is unfit for its purpose (art. 1221.º and art. 1222.º).
- These rights lapse one year after refusal of the work or acceptance with reservation; for unknown defects, one year from the notice and never beyond two years from delivery (art. 1224.º).
- Buildings have a longer regime: see garantia da obra.
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