The real cost of an eviction goes far beyond the lost rent: add court fees, legal fees, damage, and opportunity cost, and the true number tends to shock.
The essentials in 30 seconds
- The loss from an eviction goes far beyond lost rent: it adds up court fees, legal fees, damage, and opportunity cost.
- The components include lost rent, BAS/court fees, legal fees, property damage, and time without a tenant.
- The average sits between €5,400 and €10,800; with a high rent in Lisbon or Porto, it goes beyond that range.
- Recovering the money through enforcement rarely covers the full debt.
The problem
Landlords think of an eviction as “a few months without rent.” The reality is a stack of line items that, together, easily top €10,000.
The components of the cost
- Lost rent — months without income, rarely recovered.
- Fees and costs — BAS, court, enforcement agent.
- Legal fees — lawyer or solicitor (find a tenancy lawyer in your region).
- Property damage — common in contentious move-outs.
- Opportunity cost — the property sitting empty can’t be re-let.
The number for your case
The average sits between €5,400 and €10,800; with a high rent in Lisbon or Porto, it goes beyond that range. Seeing your specific number changes how you look at 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 full amount.
