AMI Licencing

Rules are meant to be broken, right?

Wrong. They are meant to be enforced and that is just not happening enough here in Portugal.

In a country where the property market is buoyant despite the pandemic, rogues are still trading and advertising properties without displaying their licence number.

Why is this?

Well, it could be due to a number of factors; they forget to display them, they don't care, they're not registered or it might be that no one ever reports their malpractice.

It's time for this to stop and one of the big areas that this is happening is across social media. 

The rules for real estate agents are quite clear. They must display their Name and Licence number (AMI) on all advertising.

So what can be done to stop these illegal advertisers of property in Portugal?

Well, there is a body called APEMIP, one set up to combat illegal mediation of real estate in Portugal.

Here is what their website says.

Combating Illegal Mediation

SCOPE OF INTERVENTION

The activity carried out by the APEMIP services focuses on natural or legal persons who develop, or intend to exercise, the activity of mediation or practice any acts with them, directly or indirectly, related.

OBJECT OF THE INTERVENTION

Analysis of complaints about illegal agents that are sent, in writing, to APEMIP services.

Analysis of complaints submitted, in writing, about situations of non-compliance with the rules that make up the activity's regulatory framework.

Establishing contacts to obtain conclusive evidence.

Establishment of written contacts with the accused in order to investigate the situations described.

Forwarding to the competent entity (IMPIC) of the elements found that indicate the existence of the illegal practice of the activity.

Analysis of advertising about real estate.

Sending, in writing, alerts to mediation companies highlighting legal inaccuracies that they present.

PROCESSUAL ANALYSIS

The activity to be developed will be in charge of the Legal Office of APEMIP. These services receive and seek to collect the necessary elements for each process in order to, whenever justified, refer them to the IMPIC Inspection Department.

DUTY OF CONFIDENTIALITY

The people assigned to the execution of the tasks included in the Activity Control are linked to the duty of secrecy, ensuring access to documents and other elements of each constituted process.

Communications carried out under the scope of Activity Control with public entities are made on behalf of APEMIP.

So, you can and you should report people who are in breach of the advertising rules and you can do it here. Click here.

WHY SHOULD I BOTHER?

Unscrupulous entities that are not registered or trained often dupe unsuspecting customers, they also avoid tax and very often don't even operate legally in Portugal. They are costing the country thousands of euros in unpaid revenue, revenue our government desperately needs.

So next time you see anyone advertising as a real estate agent, without an AMI number displayed or asking for a commission to sell your property without holding an AMI licence, tell them that they are breaking the regulations. If nothing changes, report them to APEMIP. It really is as simple as that.

APEMIP

Rua D. Luís de Noronha,

4 - 2º Piso

1069-165

Lisbon

Portugal

geral@apemip.pt

Tel: +351 217 928 770

Tlm: +351 910 672 656

Whats: +351 910 672 645