The loss from an eviction goes far beyond lost rent: costs, legal fees, damages, and opportunity cost add up. The real number is often shocking.
The problem
Landlords think of eviction as ‘a few months without rent’. The reality is a sum of items that, together, easily exceed €10,000.
The cost components
- Lost rent — months without payment, rarely recovered.
- Costs and fees — BAS, court, enforcement agent.
- Legal fees — lawyer or solicitor.
- Property damage — frequent in contentious move-outs.
- Opportunity cost — a vacant property cannot be re-rented.
The figure for your case
The average is between €5,400 and €10,800; with high rent in Lisbon or Porto, it exceeds this range. Seeing the specific number changes how you view the risk.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get the money back after the eviction?
In theory, yes, through enforcement; in practice, it depends on the tenant’s assets and rarely covers the total amount.



