Terms & Conditions
General Information and Code of Conduct
These rules were created to provide a safe and friendly environment and to maintain order within the household
This document was designed to provide you with some useful information and details should you need any help or advice over the up-coming semester. As your landlord, we have the responsibility to provide you with a good standard of accommodation and service. In return, we expect you to respect your accommodation, your fellow housemates and the local residents living around you.
If some unfortunate incident should occur, you may be held legally accountable if there is negligence on your part so it is the utmost importance you take all things mentioned here into account. Living in a shared home as an adult brings with it serious responsibilities and being aware is essential for a successful stay.
Please read everything carefully until the end. You will be asked to agree.
1) Living with flat-mates:
Please remember that you are living with other people, which means that there are certain social obligations involved vis-à-vis other flat-mate members.
• Be friendly and polite to everybody.
• Try to adapt as good as possible to new folkways and habits.
• And REMEMBER: YOU ARE NOT A RENTING A HOTEL NOR AIRBNB; nor are you a single renter. It is a room in a SHARED HOUSEHOLD, a communal space, with people already co-inhabiting, so expect some imperfections.
2) Safety First
REMEMBER to be EXTRA careful when first arriving and do your walking around. When you arrive to a foreign country you may have jet-lag, and sometimes we get confused with things such as driver habits, crosswalks, metro crossings, stop lights, etc. AND BE CAREFUL WITH THE OCEAN AND THE WAVES, AS THEY CAN BE MISLEADING.
Also, beware of pickpocketers. They work in organized groups on trains, buses, and large crowds.
Avoid opening the door to strangers.
Avoid texting while walking on the stairs!
Water and electricity do not mix! Be attentive.
Don't forget to VALIDATE your metro or bus ticket or you may receive a hefty fine.
3) Moving in:
As you move into your flat, join your landlord in checking your room, making sure that everything is in proper condition. Ask questions if you are uncertain about anything. This way you can avoid problems or disagreements regarding anything missing or broken later on.
Once settled in, please try obtaining your flat-mate’s phone numbers; that way if you forget your key or need something, they are there for you to help out. It’s a Buddy System. Maybe include yourself in the WhatsApp group with the other flatmates.
4) Keys:
All tenants will have their own set of keys and room key. There will be one general key for the mailbox which will be located in a central place.
If you do check the mailbox, and you see a bunch of publicity flyers, please feel free to remove and to dispose of them.
All rooms come with locks. Your rooms are your space. Although the landlord has his own set of extra keys, the landlord will by no means enter your space, unless otherwise prearranged with the person; like for a maintenance matter or something along those lines.
Nonetheless, the Landlord reserves the right to show up at the house during Business Hours 9:00-18:00 (Monday-Friday) for matters concerning the property or other related issues.
It is advisable when leaving the home to lock your room. The landlord is not responsible for missing items.
If you lose or forget the keys, there is a €40 fee to replace the keys. If you wish to make a 2nd copy, you may, but advise the landlord that you intend to do it.
5) Being Forgetful about Hazards
You're maybe living away from home the first time, and as such, there are hazards which can prove to be dangerous to those around you if you are not careful!
These hazards include:
- Leaving the stove on or other things cooking and forgetting about them. These can cause a fire, damage and injury.
- Leaving the heater on. Yes, as mentioned below, heaters too can catch fire and LEAVING ON UNATTENDED IS A HAZARD.
- Leaving water on in the sink or bathtub unattended.
- If you Vape, recent experiments have shown some of the charges to catch fire WHILE CHARGING. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR VAPE CHARGING UNATTENDED. If you do Vape, you are allowed to do so in the ourdoor parts of the building such as a balcony, but not in your room as this is just as bad as smoking and can interfer with the well being of your housemates.
If you spot that one of your flatmates has the tendency to be oftentimes forgetful, the management asks that you inform us. Actually, we ask that if you spot anything that does not seem right regarding the above and even overnight guests extending their stay, to inform us immediately.
6) Internet:
Your internet usage should not be used for commercial purposes or in any way that infringes on state/federal/international laws regarding libel or copyright. The illegal download and storage of music and movies as well as the use of tools to access peer-to-peer networks is not permitted. You carry full legal responsibility with respect to any and all use of the internet via your stay, including use by others who may join you during such use. Your landlord does not assume liability with regard to any damage or loss (e.g. due to a virus) resulting from use of the equipment.
Sometimes the internet signal becomes weak, this is either due to all the users streaming live movies or video calls at the same time, or just usage by people in the vicinity of the house. Hence, sometimes the RESET button is necessary to use, which is with a paper clip, on the side of the moden router can be found. Hold it for 5 seconds and it will re-boot.
If that fails to improve, you can also call the Support Number at 16912 (Vodafone), and they will ask you if you are in the presence of the modem to maybe do a few things like push a button or look for flashing lights as they try to fix the problem remotely. When speaking to the operator, they will need to know the name the contract is in 1) STATUSRECORD 2) TAX ID NUMBER (Contribuinte) 509403859 3) and the address at which you are at. Support operators usually all speak English.
7) Electricity:
a) Washing Machine
Before you place your clothes into the machine, you MUST verify that all the pockets are empty and any lose pieces are removed. Watch out for tennis shoes in the machine because the rubber soles can come off as well and clog the tubes. Failure to do so, may cause the tubes to clog and if they do, a technician may be required to come to the house which can have a high cost to you if this happens.
Energy IS considerably more expensive in Portugal than the rest of Europe, so we kindly ask, please be prudent when using it. You are allowed to use the laundry machine on your own, but we ask to try conserving energy (and for the environment) by using ECO cycles and Quick Wash.
A gentle reminder, that the longer the cycle and higher the temperature, the more aggressive it will be on the clothes, which can be damaging to the clothes as they can lose color and threads become looser.
Fabric Softeners are not allowed
Besides potentially causing skin irritation, fabric softeners can clog drainage tubes over time by leaving behind a waxy, hydrophobic residue that builds up on the inside of pipes, hoses, and filters. This accumulation can become substantial with repeated use, especially if too much softener is used, leading to reduced water flow and potential clogs in your washing machine's drainage system and even the home's plumbing.
b) Heaters:
It is imperative that you turn off heaters when not at home. Failure to do so can be a fire hazard and toxic inhalation to you and your flatmates (we know that mobile phone chargers can catch fire). This hazard can be just cause to terminate your stay at the home.
Also, having windows or doors open while having heater on goes against common sense. Keeping bills down will help keep rents down, so it's a group effort.
If there is a huge surge in the electric bill (way above the monthly average) such as leaving heat on endlessly during the winter, you may be asked to pay your share as an extra and the security deposit may be used for such effect.
Also, it's known that to get a good night's sleep, your room should not be too hot. It makes the air dryer, thus breathing more difficult. Some studies suggest that the discomfort of sleeping in a hot room can cause more frequent awakenings throughout the night and can disrupt restorative rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. We should be setting the thermostat to a relatively cool 16.1 degrees Celsius.
Overheating of the human body, especially at night and during sleep, can cause hyperventilation, reduces our body's O2 content, and can worsen existing health issues.
c) Electronic Transportation vehicles
No electronic veichles are allowed to be charged on the properties. This comes after reading some news stories electronic scooters exploding while being charged inside the home. No exceptions.
d) Power Outages
Power outages can sometimes occur in the winter months. Nonetheless, these can be avoided, with a few small tricks like:
- Don’t use washing machine around dinner time when people will be using stove or microwave. Use washing machine during the day when people are out.
- If you go to the kitchen to prepare your meal, turn off the heater, firstly to not waste electricity, and secondly to not add strain on main power board.
e) In the winter time, drying clothes does take longer to dry. Some suggestions would be to do your laundry on sunnier or windy days or go to your local corner laundrymat and you can wash and dry your clothes in a flash.
d) Bath rugs and kitchen clothes are nice to have around, but it is up to the tenants to wash and maintain them. Try organizing that within the group chat.
e) Water Heater
Water heaters are what heats the water for taking showers and usually have a 100 liter capacity which allows for 2-3 showers in a row. But if you hog the hot water, you may leave your colleagues without enough hot water for their showers. So please, be considerate of those following you.
8) Mixed Tenancy
Most homes will have both female and male occupants. It is required that everyone acts with respect to one another. Ladies or Gentlemen, if you feel someone is trying to get too friendly and it bothers you, let the landlord know as soon as possible. There is zero tolerence for such behaviors.
9) Hygiene and Cleanliness:
Please do not leave the bathroom (bathtub/toilet) in a messy condition. Remove hair from the tubs. Clean up after using it. LEAVE NO TRACE AFTER USING THE BATHROOM. The same goes for your room. Try to keep it clean and tidy.
Cleaning up after yourself is expected. Share in taking the garbage to the bins, located right out in front. Don’t be lazy or take advantage of the kindness of your flat mate.
Females, please dispose of your hygiene products in the garbage bins and not the toilets; moreover any other type of non-disposal and non-dissolvable items should NOT be flushed, because the houses are older and may clog the drains.
BABY WIPES do not dispose like toilet paper and thus MUST NEVER be flushed down the toilets..
Even though there is cleaning usually every 15 days in common areas, it is up to the flatmates to keep things clean and tidy at all times. You cannot wait for the cleaning crew to arrive and take care of your mess. Remember, again, this is not a hotel.
Sheets and towels
As we provide the towels and bedding supplies (2 sets), rest assured that everything including the pillows have been machine washed.
Some sets of sheets or towels will not be sets anymore because some of your previous housemates may have lost or misplaced them, therefore we join sometimes patterns from different sets. Also, all sheets are 100% cotton.
FEMALES
Most beds will come with mattress protectors, but just in case it was removed, females must be very careful to avoid staining the mattress should your period occur without warning. If it does happen, you should at least try cleaning up the mess with soap and water, and to uphold considerations to those that come after you. You may be held responsible for the purchasing of a new mattress.
10) Kitchen:
Keep the kitchen always tidy so that it is just the way you would like it to be when you use it, so the best is to wash your dishes and mess right after using it. This means WASHING THE POTS, PANS AND DISHES THOROUGHLY for next user.
Always remember to turn off the oven controls to avoid harm and danger to you and your flat-mates.
When using the stove top, choose the size of the burner according to the size of the pan. Using a big burner for a small fryer is not going heat any faster.
Also, be careful when using the frying pans as to not scrap off the anti-stick.
Do not drain cooking oil into the sink as this will clog it. Use an old bottle or milk carton to pour it there and then throw it out with the garbage.
11) Rotting Food
You will be responsible for the freshness of your food stuff. If you have items in the pantry or your room that gets old and gets bugs, it is your responsibilty to remove both the rotting items and bugs by your own means. Same goes for refrigerator.
12) No Pets
No pets whatsoever so do not ask.
13) Refrigerator
You must look after your items and spillage on your shelf because bad odors can occur and it becomes unpleasant for everyone. Also, these are shared spaces, so try not to hog up all the space.
14) Freezer
Freezer space is to share. If everyone stocks up on frozen food, your housemate won’t have any space. Stores are in proximity meant for occasional shopping if needed. Be courteous.
15) Caring for the Space:
It is expected that you do not damage the home or its items. Somethings may be old and may need repair. It’s normal. It is your duty to inform the landlord, via SMS (Whatsapp) of any mal functions or breakages as soon as they incur.
It is strictly forbidden to drill any holes in the walls unless you get permission beforehand to do so.
IT IS FORBIDDEN TO PUT SCOTCH TAPE ON THE WALLS. YOU MAY BE CHARGED A PAINTING JOB IF YOU DO SO. You can use those special adhesives sold in most hardware stores that do not damage the walls. They may cost a few euros more, but may save you money in the long run.
A few tools will be provided in each home so if you feel the need to tighten a screw that's lose or something, you are free to do so.
16) Air Circulation
In winter time, although it can get cold, it is asked that you leave your window open a small bit when leaving for the day. Doing this will air out the room and reduce the possibility of condensation occurring in your room and future painting and the cost to you of repainting the walls. Even opening windows for 10 minutes a day will be enough so the room can "breathe".
17) Shutters (Estores)
Homes in Portugal have a black out system on the windows with shutters. You will be explained on how to use them upon your check-in so please pay attention. If one is not attentive or careful, they can get jammed or break, which can require a repair person to fix the damage. If damage is from normal wear and tear there is no charge, but if it shows that there was carelessness, you may be billed the charge of the actual cost, which can run from 35-50 euros for the repair.
18) Rent Payment:
It is expected that you contact the landlord by the 5th of each month to combine the payment of the rent that is due.
19) Foreign Bank Transfers
If you are making payment from your country, via paypal or your local bank, beware that charges will apply and that you are responsible for those charges. The agreed rental amount is what needs to transferred, after your expenses.
20) Residing in a Double Room
If you are here with your partner or friend and sharing one of the rooms and if by chance one of you has to return home, you will be responsible for the whole payment of the room if you wish to continue alone in the room. If you do not wish to continue paying the room alone, then you will have 30 days to seek out another room in another home. Nonetheless, the 30 days includes the full amount for the 2 persons.
21) December and January Departures
If you decide to leave around the middle of the month for either of these two months, expect to pay the full rent amount. For instance, you want to leave December 17, the whole month of December will be due, and likewise for January.
22) Changing your room layout
If you wish to reposition the bed or other furniture, check with the landlord before doing so. If you shuffle around furniture, they may break, and you may be liable. He can help with the changing if needed.
23) Communication regarding your presence and absence:
On a regular basis, when you leave the home for a few days, it is important for the landlord or your colleagues to know when to expect your return. Thus, please notify the landlord or your colleagues if you will be spending at least 2-3 days away. This way we are all aware of your whereabouts.
24) Language:
Living in a communal flat provides an excellent opportunity to apply those language skills learned in the classroom. Simple politeness demands that you quickly learn and use words and phrases such as thank you, please, excuse me, may I etc. Avoid using swear words.
25) Quiet Time:
Please try not to make much noise after 10pm as most people will be resting or studying, and this includes your neighbors, which by law, have the right to silence, so try refraining from talking loud or disruptively, especially if you are speaking to your relatives back home in a loud and obnoxious way.
If the neighbors complain of noise being loud and rudely from the flat, they may summon the police, whom may pass a citation. The person(s) responsible for the noise, will be responsible for the citation as well and not the landlord.
If you do engage in adult activity with your partner, please respect your flat-mates as well as the neighbors by keeping it private.
26) When Leaving for the Day
When leaving the house for the day, DO NOT LOCK the main door from the outside because a flatmate may still be inside and sometimes the keys (which are sometimes copies) do not always work well from the inside. But it is also for security reasons you musn't lock from the outside as a person may need to leave the flat in a hurry for a fire or something and not have time to search for their keys.
You may lock from the outside, if you know that everyone is out and you are all going away for the weekend or for holidays. Then, yes, you can lock from the outside.
27) Conflicts and differences:
Conflicting interests and various sorts of differences are a part of everyday life and must by no means have just negative consequences. Be ready to deal with potential differences in an open and honest manner from the beginning. Discuss problems with your colleagues first, before giving up. Only ask the landlord for resolving a matter as a last resource. You are adults and should work out the problems on your own.
28) Beyond our Control Problems:
Now and then a problem pertaining to things such as water, electricity or maintenance may occur. As the landlord, we will do everything in our power and resources to resolve them diligently and within the quickest time frame.
Time to time when there are big football (soccer) matches on TV, the internet companies will cut the net services for a few moments which is something they do to limit the illegal transmission of the game.
29) Rules for Overnight Guests:
Overnight guests are allowed for an added fee of 10 euros per night. Please advise the landlord of the visits beforehand. Guests are limited as they can interfere with the comfort of your flatmates which is why overnight guests are kept to a minimum.
Friends are allowed during the day as long as you are not disruptive to your flatmates or neighbors.
A note to all -> UNAUTHORIZED OVERNIGHT GUESTS WILL ADD TO THE BILLS AT THE END OF THE MONTH, WHICH IN TURN CAN AFFECT YOUR WALLET with higher rents or added costs to you, therefore, it is of your interest to inform the landlord of unauthorized guests.
30) Showing room to future tenants:
Just as with you, it may be necessary to show potential, new inbound tenants the room you are dwelling in. Thus, a visit to show the installations may happen every so often. In this case, we will contact you ahead of time to let you know of our visit and to avoid any inconveniences to you.
31) Passport / ID:
By law, as landlords, we must have information about your identity that comes on your ID card or Passport, which shall be full name, ID number, country, and a contact number in case of emergency. You can offer to send a photo scan of the ID or supply the requested data or wait til you get here.
Upon your leaving the premises, all the provided information will be destroyed.
32) Termination
If for some reason your behavior or way of being does not fit with the unit, your flat-mates or landlord, you may also be asked to leave. We reserve the right as well to terminate before the agreed departure date if deemed necessary.
33) The following is expressly forbidden:
a) NO DRUGS WHATSOEVER. ANY TYPE OF DRUG CONSUMPTION SHALL BE CAUSE FOR DISMISSAL FROM THE HOME IMMEDIATELY; SAME GOES FOR EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL USAGE.
b) Possession of any type of weapons, explosive, toxic or flammable materials hazardous to the health and safety of workers and employees, the tenants and other visitors as well as endangering the accommodation;
c) Starting a fire, including lighting candles (And leaving them unattended), incense or any other related objects;
d) Giving the keys of the accommodation to a third party;
e) Providing accommodation to third parties in any capacity, unless with prior knowledge and written consent by management
f) Any act which constitutes a criminal offense, namely:
- Stealing;
- Possession, consumption, trafficking, encouraging the consumption or circulation of drugs;
- Physically or verbally assaulting any person inside of the accommodations;
g) Entry and / or stay of animals on the premises, except for dogs when accompanied by a person with physical or sensory disabilities;
h) Adopting inappropriate behaviors of community life;
i) Lack of respect and consideration to anyone who lives, works or visits the accommodations;
j) Removing food belonging to a third party from the refrigerator;
k) Throwing parties, organizing meetings or gatherings in the spaces without permission;
l) Throwing any objects out the windows;
m) Any type of commercial activities from the premises.
n) NO CHILDREN under the age of 18 are allowed at the homes, unless there is express approval from the landlord, this also means, no babysitting or kid sitting is allowed whatsoever.
Using the Patio
If you smoke or drink, make sure you clean up after your own garbage.
34) Excess of Luggage or Storage:
If for some reason upon your departure you cannot take everything with you, please arrange beforehand with your landlord or flatmate the storage for them if you need. It will be easier to manage and control if done beforehand and not after in the rush and stress of travel. Check with your airline the weight limits.
If you decide to leave items behind, that's ok, but we'll assume you left them because you no longer want them or no space in suitcases, so we will dispose of them after you leave and if you do not inform us beforehand, we are not responsible for items left behind.
35) When Departing for good
Once you have checked out, even if a few days are remaining on the lease, you cannot expect to return like if you miss the flight or there was a change of plans. Because usually the rooms will be immediately cleaned and prepared for the next person. We will clean your room for you so no need to wash the sheets or towels.
Most people will be in contact with the landlord regarding their departure, but some are less considerate. So do let your landlord know you've left. Just a small text saying "Ok, I've left and the keys are on the table".
Also, make sure you take your belongings from the fridge and cabinets and toss them or give them to your housemates. Leave your fridge shelf cleared, just as you were given when you arrived.
Check-out time is at 11am, unless otherwise specified with the landlord.
36) Part Time Work may be available
If you are needing to add to your budget, there may be some painting or cleaning that can be done. If you have the time, are interested and not allergic to getting your hands dirty, let the landlord know to see what can be arranged.
37) Breach of Trust
Any abuse of trust can result in you being asked to leave which includes - lying about situations, being deceitful, tricks or trying to fool the landlord, I.e. such as overnight guests, or any other types of actions or words that infringes on others, like your housemates and including the landlord.
38) Cooking Hours
Although there no restrictions as to the time when you can cook, you should avoid cooking at off hours from 11 pm onwards. Cooking entails unpleasant smells and noises to your flatmates and sometimes the smells can reach your apartment neighbors. Try cooking at earlier, decent hours, then maybe heat it up using the microwave.
39) Acts of War, Cyber or Terrorist Attacks, Acts of Nature (Storms, Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Floods), Total Power Outages, Disease Outbreaks
The landlord will bear no responbility in the case of these types of occurrences. It is imperative that the tenants seek out assistance from the governmental authorities. Nonetheless, the landlord will try to assist when possible.
40) Mail
There is usually 1 shared key for the apartment. If you do check regularly, please bring into the apartment other pieces of mail that will belong to others, which will include current and past tenants. Past tenants like yourself may be waiting for some important document, so please bring them in and place them somewhere visible so that the landlord on his occasional visits, can advise the parties of interest that mail has arrived for them.
41) Check-Ins
Most check-ins will occur during normal hours, which would be between 9:00-20:00. If you land early morning, you probably won't be able to check-in until probably noon, after the room has been prepped.
If you flight arrives around 22:00-24:00 (midnight), there is a good chance that you will need to take a room for that night unless some of the housemates are available to open the door. Again, as mentioned in the 1st paragraph, these are not hotels nor Airbnbs. An arrival to OPO at 22:30, means if all goes well, at best, you will arrive to the home at midnight or one a.m. which is an hour the landlord will not be available. So when booking that "low-cost" flight, consider a night elsewhere in your budget.
42) And Finally
Community living is difficult, even amongst family members. So imagine people from different countries, different languages, different cultures, different ages, different sexes, all coming together under one roof? This is the trend of the 2020s, that is sharing homes with strangers. It gives a unique experience, and from the social-cultural aspect, a big science experiment. Being in a foreign country, not knowing anyone, the language, the ways of being, and sharing a house with those people, can be stressful and can lead to moments of despair. Especially if it is your first time living on your own.
Not all of us have the same cleanliness, same hygiene, same beliefs, same mindset, and so on. So how do you share the kitchen, the toilet, the shower, the refrigerator with these total strangers? Not everyone is nice and understanding. Sometimes there is mis-communication, because if everyone is speaking English, it is their 2nd language, so words can lead to uncertainty. That’s how we grow as people and part of the experience of living abroad, is to gain this experience under our belt.
One last tidbit of wisdom, If you see something that needs cleaning or organizing, "What's wrong with leaving something a little better than you found it?" If we all applied this concept to our everyday lives, the world would be a much better place.
On a final note, the points laid out in this document are due to situations that have occurred and in order to avoid problems this document was prepared to help streamline your experience so that you can enjoy your time in Porto.
If you would like to discuss any part of this document, please feel free to bring it up.
Sejam Bem-Vindos - I wish you a successful and benefiting experience in Porto.
GREG BABAYANS
