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The Complaints Book (Livro de Reclamações) for Alojamento Local: Paper, Electronic and What to Do Next

published 28 September 2026

The complaints book, or livro de reclamações, is one of the oldest and most frequently inspected obligations for Alojamento Local (AL), Portugal's short-term rental regime. It does not depend on the size of your property or how many bookings you take: a single apartment is subject to the same rules as a hostel. This guide sums up what the law requires, based on information published by Turismo de Portugal and ASAE.

Why It Is Mandatory for AL

Every Alojamento Local must have a complaints book under Decree-Law No. 156/2005 of 15 September, as amended. That regime was revised by Decree-Law No. 74/2017 of 21 June, which took effect on 1 July 2017 and created the electronic version of the book.

Since 1 July 2018, the electronic format has been mandatory for service providers in general, AL included. The point that trips up most foreign owners is this: the electronic book does not replace the paper one. The operator must keep and provide the book in both formats at the same time.

The authority that handles complaints about Alojamento Local is ASAE (Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica, Portugal's food and economic safety authority), which also inspects compliance with these rules.

The Paper Book: Where It Goes and What to Do

The paper book is bought from INCM, the Portuguese state printing office. The operator's main obligations are:

  • Hand over the book immediately and free of charge whenever a guest asks for it. You cannot say the book is kept elsewhere, and you cannot make it conditional, for example, on the guest identifying themselves first.
  • Display the notice in a clearly visible place, in legible print, stating that the property has a complaints book and giving the name and address of the competent authority (ASAE). Since 2017 an officially approved sign is no longer required, but the information itself must still be on display.
  • Send the original complaint sheet to ASAE within 15 business days. ASAE's website offers an electronic submission channel, reserved for businesses, for sending scanned sheets from the paper book.
  • Give the duplicate to the guest and keep the triplicate, which stays bound in the book.
  • Keep an organised archive of completed books for at least three years.

If the book is lost or full, you must buy a new one and notify ASAE. Until you have it, you must tell guests which authority they can complain to.

Several Apartments in the Same Building

Turismo de Portugal's technical guide sets out ASAE's position for operators with several apartments in one building. If there is a shared reception, the book and notice belong there. With no reception, and if the operator's base is close enough to hand the book over immediately, a notice in each apartment is sufficient. If the base is far away, each apartment needs its own copy of the book as well as the notice.

The Electronic Book: livroreclamacoes.pt

The electronic book runs through the official platform, livroreclamacoes.pt. The host has two obligations:

  1. Link to the platform on your website, in a visible and prominent place. If you have no website, you need an email address to receive complaints submitted through the platform.
  2. Reply to the guest within 15 business days at most, to the email address given in the form, explaining what you did in response to the complaint.

Electronic complaints go straight to ASAE, together with your reply. A complaint made in the electronic book carries the same weight as one written in the paper book.

Fines

Breaches of the complaints book rules are inspected by ASAE and are administrative offences punishable by fines and, in some cases, additional sanctions. The amounts were revised in 2017 and may have been updated by later legislation. To find the figure that applies to you, check the consolidated text of Decree-Law No. 156/2005 in the Diário da República, or confirm with ASAE or your accountant.

After a Complaint

A complaint is not an offence in itself. What matters is how you handle it:

  • Reply in writing and on time, sticking to facts and avoiding a defensive tone. Your reply goes to ASAE along with the complaint.
  • Keep evidence: messages exchanged, photos of the property's condition, check-in and check-out records.
  • Look for patterns. If several complaints mention the same issue (noise, cleaning, trouble getting in), the problem is your process, not one particular guest.

Many complaints start with information the guest could not find in time: how to open the door, where to park, when check-out is, what to do when something breaks. Clear instructions before arrival, and someone who answers outside office hours, prevent a good share of these disputes. See also our guide to self check-in.

Not to Be Confused With Other Obligations

The complaints book is separate from the information book (your house rules, required in at least four languages) and from reporting foreign guests to SIBA. Each has its own authority and deadlines.

How ciceroni Helps

ciceroni does not replace the complaints book, paper or electronic, and it does not answer complaints on the host's behalf. What it can do is reduce the situations that lead to one. Each stay gets its own digital guide, in Portuguese, English, French and Spanish, with the instructions the host wrote. An AI concierge answers guests' questions at any hour, on WhatsApp or in the guide, using only that information, and hands anything it cannot answer to the host. ciceroni is free during launch.

FAQ

Does the electronic book replace the paper one?

No. Turismo de Portugal is explicit: having the electronic format does not remove the need to keep the paper book available at the property at the same time.

Where do I put the notice if I have no reception?

In each unit, somewhere clearly visible, stating that a complaints book is available and giving ASAE's name and address. If your base is far from the property, each unit should also have its own book.

How long do I have to answer an electronic complaint?

A maximum of 15 business days, to the email address the guest entered on livroreclamacoes.pt.

Which authority handles complaints about Alojamento Local?

ASAE. Electronic complaints go directly to ASAE, and the original sheets from the paper book must also be sent there.

Sources

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