Notice to quit or opposition to renewal of the lease — free letter template
Template letter for a landlord ending a lease: free in PDF and Word, with notice periods and the check-out inspection (art. 1097 of the Civil Code).
- NRAU-compliant
- PT and bilingual PT/EN
- Editable PDF + Word
- 100% free
Free template
The lease termination letter is the document with which the landlord tells the tenant that the contract will not continue. This free template, in PDF and Word, gives you the legally correct version of that request: the letter of opposition to renewal, provided for in article 1097 of the Civil Code — the route Portuguese law reserves for a landlord to end a fixed-term contract when its term runs out.
The template includes the identification of the parties and the contract, the invocation of article 1097, the end date, the table of notice periods, the request to hand the property back free of people and belongings and the scheduling of the check-out inspection. Download it and fill it in in minutes — or generate it online, already filled in from the contract data, in the Aluseg app.
- Letter ready to sign, expressly invoking article 1097 of the Civil Code
- Table of the legal notice periods: 240, 120 and 60 days, or one third of the term
- Request to hand the property back free of people and belongings, with all the keys
- Proposed date for the check-out inspection and meter readings
- Warnings about sending by registered letter and about what this letter does not allow you to do
What a lease termination letter is
In everyday language, a "lease termination letter" means any letter with which one of the parties ends the tenancy. The Civil Code does not use the word rescisão (termination): it distinguishes several ways of ending a lease, each with its own grounds, notice and form. When the landlord wants to end a fixed-term contract when its term runs out, the correct mechanism is opposition to renewal (article 1097 of the Civil Code).
Use this template when the contract has a fixed term, is about to renew and there is no tenant breach to invoke. If there are rent arrears, the route is different — see the next section.
Notice to quit, termination, opposition to renewal or forfeiture: what is the difference?
This is where most evictions in Portugal fail — on form, not on merits. The rules on forfeiture, expiry and notice to quit are mandatory (article 1080 of the Civil Code): they cannot be set aside or shortened by a clause in the contract.
- Termination ("rescisão") — a popular term, with no existence in the Civil Code. Anyone searching for "landlord termination of a lease" almost always wants one of the following mechanisms.
- Opposition to renewal (article 1097) — the landlord prevents automatic renewal and the contract ends at the end of the current term. It requires no grounds; it requires notice. This is the letter in this template.
- Notice to quit (denúncia) (article 1101) — the landlord ends an open-ended contract, but only in the cases listed exhaustively by law: the landlord's or a first-degree descendant's need for the home (point (a)), demolition or deep remodelling or restoration works (point (b)) or free notice to quit with five years' notice (point (c)). It has its own rules and documents (article 1103).
- Termination for breach (resolução) (article 1083) — the contract ends because of the tenant's breach. Some grounds operate by notification; others only by court decision (article 1084(1)). And the notification has a stricter form (article 9(7) of the NRAU).
- Revocation by agreement (article 1082) — both parties agree to end it. It is the fastest and cheapest route.
- Expiry (caducidade) — the contract reaches its end and does not renew, because no renewal was provided for.
On the tenant's side, opposition to renewal and notice to quit follow article 1098, with their own, shorter periods.
Letter of notice to quit or of opposition to renewal — which period applies?
| Who sends it and when | Mechanism | Notice | Article |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landlord, fixed-term contract, no breach | Opposition to renewal | 240, 120 or 60 days, or one third of the term (contracts of under 6 months) | 1097(1) |
| Tenant, fixed-term contract | Opposition to renewal | 120, 90 or 60 days, or one third of the term (contracts of under 6 months) | 1098(1) |
| Landlord, open-ended contract | Notice to quit (denúncia): own or descendants' use, deep works, or free notice | Free notice: 5 years. The other two have their own rules and documents | 1101 and 1103 |
| Landlord, tenant in breach (for example, arrears of 3 months or more) | Termination for breach (resolução) | No opposition notice: requires grounds and a notification in the prescribed form | 1083 and 1084 |
In every case the notification is in writing, signed and sent by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt (article 9 of the NRAU). To end a fixed-term contract when its term runs out, use the template on this page.
What this letter template includes
- Full header: sender, recipient, property, contract, place, date and subject.
- Express invocation of article 1097, end date and table of notice periods, with the warning about the first renewal (article 1097(3)).
- Request to hand the property back free of people and belongings, with the repairs due (article 1081), and all the keys.
- Proposed date for the check-out inspection, with meter readings.
- Landlord's signature and bilingual Portuguese/English version.
How to fill in and send it step by step
- Confirm the end date of the contract or of the current renewal — the days are counted from it.
- Identify the term of the contract and choose the applicable notice.
- Count back from the end date. If the deadline has already passed, the contract renews and you will have to repeat the notification for the next renewal.
- Fill in the parties, the property, the contract and the end date.
- Propose a date and time for the check-out inspection.
- Sign the letter: article 9(1) of the NRAU requires a document signed by the declarant.
- Send it by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the let property, unless the tenant has stated otherwise in writing.
- Keep the receipt, the acknowledgement of receipt and a copy of the letter.
Notice periods when the landlord ends the contract
Article 1097(1) of the Civil Code sets the landlord's minimum notice according to the term of the contract:
- 240 days — term of 6 years or more;
- 120 days — term of 1 year or more and less than 6 years;
- 60 days — term of 6 months or more and less than 1 year;
- one third of the term — contracts of less than 6 months.
There is also a protection that catches many landlords: opposition to the first renewal only takes effect after three years from the signing of the contract, which remains in force until that date (article 1097(3) of the Civil Code). In a two-year contract, a letter sent in time does not prevent the first renewal. The only exception is the need for the home by the landlord or by first-degree descendants, which follows its own rules (article 1097(4)).
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending it by email or WhatsApp. The law requires a signed document and a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt (article 9(1) of the NRAU).
- Missing the deadline by a day. If the notice is too short, the contract renews in full.
- Using this letter to evict for rent arrears. That is termination for breach (article 1083) and has its own form — the wrong notification is ineffective.
- Not keeping the proof. Without the receipt and the acknowledgement of receipt, you cannot show the notification was made.
- Ignoring a returned letter. Article 10 of the NRAU requires the letter to be sent again 30 to 60 days later — no sooner, no later.
- Handing over the keys without an inspection. Without a check-out record, you have no evidence of the condition of the property to deduct from the deposit.
Frequently asked questions
How can a landlord terminate a lease?
In a fixed-term contract, the normal route is opposition to renewal: a written, signed letter, sent by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt, with the notice required by article 1097 of the Civil Code. The contract ends at the end of the current term. Outside that, the landlord can only give notice to quit an open-ended contract in the cases exhaustively listed in article 1101, terminate for breach (article 1083) or agree a revocation with the tenant (article 1082).
How many days' notice does the letter need?
It depends on the term of the contract: 240 days if it is 6 years or more; 120 days between 1 and 6 years; 60 days between 6 months and 1 year; and one third of the term for contracts of less than 6 months (article 1097(1) of the Civil Code). In residential leases, opposition to the first renewal only takes effect after three years from the signing of the contract.
Does the lease termination letter have to be registered?
Yes. Article 9(1) of Law no. 6/2006 (NRAU) requires a document signed by the declarant, sent by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, and the letter to the tenant must go to the let property, unless the tenant has stated otherwise in writing. If the letter is returned, article 10 requires a second registered letter to be sent between 30 and 60 days after the first.
What happens if the tenant does not leave at the end of the contract?
The end of the contract makes vacating and handing over the property due (article 1081 of the Civil Code). If the tenant does not leave, the landlord can use the special eviction procedure, supported by the contract and proof of the notification under article 1097(1) (article 15(2) of the NRAU). Note: that procedure is only available for contracts on which stamp duty has been paid or whose rents have been declared for IRS or IRC purposes (article 15(5)).
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