On page 125 of the book in the chapter on “Renting” I make reference to a new and more stringent law that had been introduced with regard to the licensing of rental property. This turned out to be unworkable, and after many months of confusion and frustration on the part of those wanting to obtain a licence, in order to legally rent out their “holiday homes,” a by-law (Portaria Nº 517/2008) that regulates the law (Decreto-Lei Nº 39/2008) was finally published on June 25th. It came into immediate effect.

SOLVIT is an online network, which has been in operation since July of 2002, with centres in all the EU member states, as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It looks for a resolution to problems presented by citizens and businesses, and gives a pragmatic response to difficulties resulting from an incorrect application of community legislation by public authorities.

Its aim is to solve problems in a short space of time i.e. ten weeks.