Vacant (devoluto)
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Devoluto means unoccupied: in listings it indicates a property with nobody living in it, and in tax law it designates an urban property or unit that has been unoccupied for a year.
The word devoluto has two uses, and they should not be mixed up.
In auction listings, devoluto or devoluto de pessoas e bens means that, according to whoever is running the sale, nobody occupies the property and it is empty. It is the opposite of 'occupied' or 'let'.
In tax law, it is a formal classification. An urban property or autonomous unit that has been unoccupied for one year is classified as devoluto (Decree-Law 159/2006, article 2). Signs of non-occupation are the absence of water, gas, electricity and telecoms contracts, no billing for those services, or very low consumption. Classification is done by the municipalities and is used, among other purposes, for applying the IMI (annual property tax) rate.
Example
Illustrative example: a sale notice describes a one-bedroom flat as devoluto. At the viewing, the interested buyer confirms it is empty with no signs of use. In another auction the listing says devoluto, but there is washing on the line and a name on the letterbox: a point to clarify with whoever is running the sale before bidding.
In practice, at an auction
The word devoluto in a listing is information, not a promise. The situation may change between the date of the listing and handover, and the information may be out of date.
Check at the viewing and with the . If the property turns out to be occupied after the purchase, the buyer can request handover within the same proceedings, on the basis of the (CPC articles 828 and 861).
A property that has stood empty for a long time may need works and have its meters disconnected. If the municipality has classified it as devoluto, IMI may be higher: check with the town council. See Occupied property: what to do after buying.