The renovation is "finished". It's defective. There are clocks running.
You got the keys. You paid in full. And now there are cracks in the walls, leaks in the ceiling, tiles falling off, electrical that trips, or simply work that was never finished. Under Civil Code art. 1225 you have 5 years for defects to appear, 1 year to formally denounce them, and 1 year to file. The 4-minute diagnostic computes how many days remain.
Free · No card · Not legal advice.
Recognise yourself here?
- You just got the keys and discovered the master bedroom has water seeping through the wall it shares with the bathroom.
- The kitchen was delivered six months ago. Today, every grout line is cracked, and two cabinets are pulling away from the ceiling.
- They painted, you paid, they were gone. Three months later, the paint is peeling — and tapping the wall reveals it's hollow underneath.
- The electrical trips every time you run two appliances on the same circuit. You complained; the answer was "that's not on us, that was the electrician".
- The contractor refuses to come back. "It's done. If you want repairs, that's on you."
The law is on your side — but the law has deadlines.
Under Civil Code art. 1225, three windows run in sequence for buildings. The diagnostic computes all three for your case from the dates you provide.
Clock closes without action = right lost.
What you can demand — in the right order
Civil Code arts. 1221–1223 + Supreme Court ruling STJ 03B1045:
- Repair the defect (elimination of the vice) — the mandatory first request
- New construction — only if repair is impossible
- Price reduction — only if the above are impossible
- Contract termination — only if the work is unfit for its intended purpose
- Damages — cumulative with any of the above
The contractor cannot skip steps — and neither can you. The notice must demand repair first, with a reasonable deadline (15 days for small defects, 30 days for larger repairs). Refusal or silence then opens the door to the next step. We get this sequencing right by default.
What you'll have in hand
- Case file (~12 pages) — every defect identified, dated, photographed, and tied to the right article (CC 1218, 1220, 1221, 1225 as applicable to your case).
- Notice letter for registered mail — a formal repair request in writing, with a reasonable deadline and the correct legal formula (CC art. 808 + CC art. 1221).
- Routing recommendation — the Centro de Arbitragem competent for your district (≤€5k mandatory, ≤€30k voluntary at some centres), Julgado de Paz (≤€15k), or Tribunal Judicial.