Before you sign CPCV or pay a serious deposit
Check the property, the seller and the legal file before you commit.
A property can look perfect online and still have problems in the documents. Before you sign the CPCV, a Portuguese lawyer checks the registry, seller position, property documents and missing information so you know what must be clarified or protected in the contract.
- From €700
- Written legal due diligence memo
- Licensed Portuguese lawyer
Why this matters
A viewing shows the property. It does not show the legal risk.
The listing does not tell you whether the seller matches the registered owner, whether a mortgage or attachment is registered, whether a company representative can sign, whether the apartment has condominium costs waiting in the background or whether the documents you received are complete.
The best moment to find those problems is before CPCV. Not after the deposit has been paid.
The three questions this review answers
Is this legally the property you think you are buying?
We compare the available documents and check whether the property is identified consistently across the file.
Can this seller legally commit to the sale?
We check ownership and, where relevant, seller authority, company documents, co-owners or power of attorney.
What must be fixed before CPCV?
You receive a practical list of missing documents, unresolved questions and points that should be reflected in the contract before you sign.
What we check
The property file, checked before CPCV
- 01
Registered ownership and property status
We review the Certidão Permanente Predial and check: who is registered as owner; whether the seller matches the registry; how the property or autonomous unit is described; whether mortgages, attachments or other charges appear; whether registration requests are pending; whether the registry information matches the proposed transaction.
- 02
Tax description of the property
We review the Caderneta Predial and compare it with the registry and other documents. We look for inconsistencies in address, article number, areas, use, ownership and property description.
- 03
Seller and signing authority
We check who is selling and who will sign. Depending on the transaction, this may involve: private seller; co-owners; company seller; director or manager authority; power of attorney; inheritance or estate documents; another representative. The question is not only “who sent the draft CPCV?”. The question is: who has legal authority to bind the seller?
- 04
Mortgages, attachments and pending registrations
A registered mortgage does not always stop a sale, but the deal must explain how it will be cancelled. We identify registered burdens and issues that should not be ignored in the CPCV.
- 05
Consistency between documents
We compare the available documents for differences in: property description; fraction number; address; areas; property use; seller details; parking or storage identification; registry and tax information. A small difference may have a simple explanation. It still needs an explanation before the buyer commits.
- 06
Licensing and use questions
Where relevant, we review available use, licensing or exemption documents and identify what is missing or unclear. This matters especially for old houses, renovated apartments, enclosed balconies, converted garages or storage rooms, layout changes and properties where the physical use may not match the documents.
- 07
Condominium documents
For apartments, we may review available condominium documents such as: debt / charges declaration; recent meeting minutes; approved works; extraordinary contributions; reserve fund information; roof, façade, lift or garage issues; disputes or known building problems. A good apartment can still sit inside an expensive building problem.
- 08
Energy Certificate
We check whether a valid Energy Certificate or relevant information has been provided. The certificate does not replace technical inspection, but it is part of the transaction document package.
- 09
Missing documents and seller questions
Due diligence is not only reading what you received. It is also identifying what you did not receive. The memo separates missing documents, unanswered questions, unresolved risk and CPCV protection points.
What you receive
A written legal due diligence memo, prepared for a buyer
You receive a written legal due diligence memo prepared for a buyer, not for a legal archive.
Clear opening conclusion
The memo starts with a practical conclusion: proceed; proceed after clarification; do not sign until the stated risk is resolved.
Document-by-document review
You see what was checked and what each document shows.
Prioritised risk list
We separate the findings into: critical before CPCV; important to clarify; useful follow-up; lower-priority points.
Missing document list
A practical request list for the seller or agent.
Questions for the seller
Specific questions, not a generic request for “more information”.
CPCV protection points
Where needed, we identify issues that should be covered in the contract, such as document delivery, mortgage cancellation, seller authority, condominium costs, licensing clarification, withdrawal rights or completion conditions.
Recommended next step
You should finish the review knowing whether to sign, request documents, negotiate, order technical inspection, pause or walk away.
This service is useful if
- you selected a property but have not signed CPCV;
- the seller is asking for a large deposit;
- you are buying as a foreign buyer;
- you are buying remotely;
- the seller is a company;
- someone signs by power of attorney;
- the property is old or recently renovated;
- you are buying an apartment with condominium;
- the registry shows a mortgage or pending request;
- documents arrived in separate messages and you do not know what is missing;
- the agent says everything is fine, but you want an independent answer.
Best timing
The best time is after you have selected the property, but before CPCV and before a meaningful deposit.
If the reservation payment is non-refundable, legal review may be useful even before reservation. Once CPCV is signed, the buyer’s leverage may be weaker.
How it works
- 01
Send the property and documents
Send the property link, draft CPCV if available, Certidão Predial, Caderneta Predial, Energy Certificate, condominium documents, seller details and anything else you received. You do not need to know whether the package is complete. That is part of the review.
- 02
We confirm scope and fee
We check the property type, seller structure, document volume, urgency and unusual circumstances. Then we confirm what will be checked and the fee.
- 03
A Portuguese lawyer reviews the file
The lawyer compares the documents, identifies risks and lists what is missing. The review is focused on one decision: is the legal file clear enough for the buyer to move to CPCV?
- 04
You receive the written memo
You receive a conclusion, risk list, missing documents, seller questions, recommended protections and next step.
- 05
Move to contract review or negotiation
Due diligence checks the property file. Before signing, the CPCV itself should also be reviewed. If changes are needed, wider legal support can be agreed.
Price and standard scope
Pre-CPCV Legal Due Diligence — from €700.
The final fee depends on:
• apartment, house, villa or land
• number of documents
• private seller or company
• co-owners or inheritance
• power of attorney
• condominium file
• licensing or renovation questions
• urgency
• whether additional official documents must be obtained
Output: written legal due diligence memo.
Scope and fee are confirmed before work starts.
What is not included by default
- CPCV Review;
- negotiation with the seller;
- technical inspection;
- structural or architectural review;
- property valuation;
- tax planning;
- mortgage brokerage;
- full municipal archive review;
- unlimited searches;
- litigation;
- full representation until escritura.
When another service is better
The boundary is simple: due diligence checks the property file. CPCV Review checks the contract. Technical Inspection checks the physical property. Full Buyer Representation coordinates the wider purchase.
Choose CPCV Review if the property file is already clear and you only need the contract checked.
Choose Technical Property Inspection if you need to understand physical condition, damp, cracks, leaks, roof, plumbing or renovation quality.
Choose Off-Plan Buyer Risk Pack if the property is under construction or sold by a developer with staged payments and delivery risk.
Choose Full Buyer Representation if you want a Portuguese lawyer to coordinate the legal side of the purchase, not only review the document file.
Related services
Developer & SPV Background Check
from €900Who is behind a project and what public records show.
Learn more →The right time to find a legal problem is before CPCV. Not after the deposit.
Pre-CPCV Legal Due Diligence — from €700. Portuguese lawyer review of the property, seller, registry and documents before you sign.