Who pays to repair a shared wall in Portugal

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The cost of repairing or rebuilding a shared wall is split between the owners in proportion to their shares, and equally if it is a plain boundary wall (Código Civil, art. 1375.º, n.º 1 and 2).

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Law

Código Civil (Decreto-Lei n.º 47344/66)

Article

1375.º

General rule

In proportion to each owner's share (n.º 1)

Plain boundary wall

Equal shares if the wall is only a fence or boundary (n.º 2)

Extra benefit

If one owner gets a benefit the other does not, the cost is split in proportion to the benefit each draws (n.º 3)

Collapse linked to one owner

If the wall falls into ruin because of something only one owner benefits from, only that owner must repair or rebuild it (n.º 4)

Opting out

An owner can avoid the cost by giving up their right in the wall (n.º 5)

Official text

pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=775&tabel...

Sources

pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=775&tabel...

Checked

2026-11-05