Six things can go wrong with a Portuguese property purchase.PropCheck checks all six before you commit.Six things can go wrong with a Portuguese property purchase. PropCheck checks all six before you commit.
The Property Risk Score (AIRCS) runs six independent risk layers — legal title, building compliance, energy, financial, condominium, and environmental — and combines them into one score with a clear action threshold.
The AIRCS (AI-integrated Risk and Compliance Score) runs six independent layers: L1 Legal title (Certidão Permanente + Citius), L2 Building compliance (Licença + DL 10/2024), L3 Energy and EPBD, L4 Financial and fiscal (IMI arrears + VPT), L5 Condominium obligations (Lei 8/2022), and L6 Environmental risk (APA, ICNF, REN/RAN, POOC). Each layer produces a sub-score. The six are weighted and combined into a single 0–100 score. Below 60 triggers an InspectOS physical inspection recommendation. Below 40 requires legal advice before proceeding.
No single check tells the complete risk story. A property can have a clean title, no unapproved works, and a good energy rating — and still carry an undisclosed €18,000 condominium debt that transfers on sale. Or a clean administrative record combined with a flood zone classification that has not been priced into the asking price.
The AIRCS is six independent checks drawn from six primary data sources, combined into one number with clear thresholds for action. It tells you where to focus and whether the situation warrants spending money on a physical inspection before committing to a deposit.
The six risk layers
L1
Legal title — Certidão Permanente and Citius
Checks the IRN land registry for current ownership, active mortgages (hipotecas), tax liens (penhoras), and pending court proceedings. A clean title is the baseline. Any encumbrance is flagged with its current status and resolution path.
25%
L2
Building compliance — Licença de Utilização and DL 10/2024
Full Unapproved Works Detector runs here: Caderneta vs Licença area comparison, enforcement notices, Simplex risk score, and regularisation cost estimate. The single highest-weight layer in the model because it is the most common source of post-purchase problems.
25%
L3
Energy — Certificado Energético and EPBD 2030
Checks the energy class, verifies certificate validity (10-year expiry), applies EPBD 2030 minimum standard, and estimates retrofit cost and brown discount for Classe E/F/G properties. A valid certificate must be provided at the escritura — PropCheck checks in advance.
15%
L4
Financial and fiscal — IMI arrears and VPT
Checks for outstanding IMI and AIMI arrears and active AT penhoras. Checks the VPT divergence from the purchase price — a very large gap may signal AT assessment issues or under-declaration risk. Confirms the Caderneta is current and up to date.
15%
L5
Condominium — Lei 8/2022 and IMPIC registration
For apartment properties: checks outstanding condominium charges, fund contributions, and pending major works decisions that will bind the new owner. Under Lei 8/2022, these debts transfer on sale. Also checks whether the condominium administrator is IMPIC-registered as now required.
10%
L6
Environmental — APA, ICNF, REN/RAN, POOC
Checks four independent risk sources: APA flood zone at plot level, ICNF wildfire risk band, REN/RAN land use restrictions, and POOC coastal erosion zone. Environmental risk affects insurance cost, legalisation options, resale value, and long-term habitability.
10%
Score bands and what they mean
Score
Band
Meaning
Recommended action
71 – 100
Green
No significant risk flags across all layers
Standard legal checks · Proceed
41 – 70
Amber
Moderate flags in one or more layers
Review flagged layers · Consider inspection
21 – 40
Red
Significant risk in one or more critical layers
Physical inspection + legal advice before CPCV
0 – 20
Critical
Major unresolved issues in critical layers
Do not sign a CPCV until issues resolved
Sample output — T2 apartment, Bairro Alto, Lisboa
Property Risk Score™ · T2 · Bairro Alto, Lisboa · SampleAIRCS · All 6 layers
56
/ 100
Risk Score: 56 / 100
Amber band · 3 layers flagged Physical inspection recommended
L1 · Legal titleClean — no encumbrances
L2 · Building compliance28 m² gap — unapproved works
Three issues to resolve before the CPCVL2 and L5 are the priorities. The 28 m² unapproved works need a regularisation assessment — the CPCV should include a seller warranty. The €4,200 condominium debt must be cleared before the escritura under Lei 8/2022. The unregistered administrator is a separate compliance issue that the condominium must address. An InspectOS physical inspection is recommended to physically verify the L2 discrepancy before price is agreed.
Frequently asked questions
Six risk layers. One number. Before you pay a deposit.
Legal title, building compliance, energy, financial, condominium, environmental. Automatically. Before the CPCV.
Free score · Full layer breakdown with login · InspectOS trigger below 60
