Pilou

I agree, I also just read it is 3 years in principle.
Our lawyer promissed nothing, but will come back to us.
You would sack your lawyer, but I won't.

Pilou

I received the official document for residency:
certificado de registo de cidadao da uniao europeia.

This is just a paper (A-4), not a card. Is this standard?

Can I register with this paper for the national health insurance at the local health center (plus pasport and fiscal number)? How is this called here: centro saude???

Thanks

Loafing Along

Yes ! During your first five years you have a piece of paper which you need to preserve as best you can. It's called Centro de Saúde

Pilou

Thanks!

Pilou

We will be soon owner of our house and we need to have a house insurance.
I know the Millennium bank sells insurances, but I would be very happy to have some suggestions on which company to use in the Lagos - Portimao - Lagoa area.

ouriquejan

We used Mapfre for many years, but were let down badly this year. Being stuck on the A22 for 2 hours is no fun.

Now with Zurich.

Loafing Along

If you join Afpop they have excellent arrangements for health, home and car insurance. We have their medical insurance as they are one of few companies that will continue to cover you after 70 years.

afpop: afpop, expats society, Algarve, Portugal society

Pilou

Is this not only 5 / 10% reduction on a home or car insurance on their insurance, but already more expensive than in the market?

For the health insurance we will pay 12 months per year and we will only be here 6 to 7 months. When we are outside Portugal, the insurance cover is almost zero.
In 2 years, I will be covered via Holland through the nhs in Portugal. Then i can ask permission to have a planned operation or check in another eu-country.

toots sweet

back to the house buying question..........
how do you go about a house survey? Is it a similar principle to the UK. We will be cash purchasers,so do we employ our own surveyor and if so what would be an average cost?
Also any recommendations for one round Alcobaca or Caldas da Rainha.?

EMR

I have not come across anyone who has ever had a house survey done in Portugal.
Surveyors as we know them must be as rare as unicorns.

RichardHenshall

One argument for a structural survey is that you are made aware of potential problems and may have the opportunity to renegotiate the price to reflect future costs. The opposite is that the money you've spent on the survey hasn't fixed any problems at all and you might be better using that money to fix the problems as they arise.

It depends on your own ability spot potential problems and/or your attitude to risk. We had our Algarve property surveyed - it cost approx 0.1% of the purchase price.

aport

We had an independent survey done for a house we wanted to buy. He was very thorough. Cost was 500 euros but worth every penny - raised several issues for us. He even went back to check on a large crack which had mysteriously disappeared between the viewing and the survey. His name is Paulo Gregório. I can message you his email if you want. Not sure what area he covers.

toots sweet

aport
yes pls that would be helpful
many thanks

Pilou

We signed the promissory contract today! Completely happy. Notary in 2 weeks!!!!

Our new life starts now!

liveaboard

congratulations!