What does garantia da obra mean in Portugal?
For buildings and other long-life structures, the contractor answers for collapse or defects caused by the ground, the construction or execution errors that appear within five years of delivery, or within the guarantee period agreed in the contract.
- Rests on
- Código Civil, art. 1225.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
- The owner must report the defect within one year, and ask for compensation in the year after reporting (art. 1225.º n.º 2).
- The same deadlines apply to asking for repair (art. 1225.º n.º 3).
- The contractor is liable for loss to the owner or to a later buyer of the property (art. 1225.º n.º 1).
- The same rules apply to a seller who built, altered or repaired the property (art. 1225.º n.º 4).
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