Required Landlord Disclosures & Inspections in Brazil

Unlike the extensive safety disclosures mandated in the United States (such as lead-paint or radon warnings), Brazilian disclosures are anchored around full transparency regarding the physical state of the property prior to signing, financial property liabilities, and specific commercial protections if the landlord decides to sell the property.

Disclaimer: This guide provides general legal information for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Disclosure rules can hinge on municipal code variations. Always consult a licensed attorney in Brazil for specific advice. Information last verified: March 2026.

1. The Initial Inspection Report (Laudo de Vistoria Inicial)

Article 22 of the Brazilian Tenancy Law mandates that landlords must provide an exact description of the property's state prior to handing over the keys. This is accomplished via a highly detailed, usually photograph-heavy, move-in checklist known as the Laudo de Vistoria Inicial.

This document discloses all pre-existing flaws, chips on the tile, functioning appliances, and paint quality. The tenant is typically granted a short window (often 5 to 7 days after move-in) to submit "contestations" or amendments if they discover hidden defects not disclosed in the report (e.g., a termite infestation or a broken window latch). This protects the tenant from being charged for pre-existing damages at move-out and holds the landlord accountable under the Civil Code for vícios redibitórios (hidden defects).

2. Right of First Refusal (Direito de Preferência)

A massive compliance hurdle in Brazil revolves around a landlord’s intent to sell an actively rented property. Under Article 27 of the Tenancy Law, the landlord must disclose any intent to sell to the public by first offering the property exclusively to the current tenant.

This is the Right of First Refusal. The landlord must send a formal, undeniable written notice to the tenant containing the exact sale price, payment terms, and existing encumbrances on the title. The tenant has a strict 30-day window to accept the offer or formally waive their right. If a landlord secretly sells the property to a third party without disclosing the offer to the tenant under the same conditions, the tenant has the right to sue for massive damages or legally force the transfer of the title to themselves by depositing the sale amount into the court.

3. Transparency on Condominium Dues and Municipal Taxes (IPTU)

Landlords must be fully transparent in the lease regarding what secondary charges the tenant is responsible for. In Brazil, it is customary (and perfectly legal) to shift the burden of paying the municipal property tax (IPTU) and building HOA fees (Taxa de Condomínio) onto the tenant.

However, landlords must disclose and differentiate between "ordinary" and "extraordinary" condominium expenses:

• Disclosed Tenant Charge: Ordinary expenses (salaries of the concierge, cleaning supplies, common area electricity).
• Landlord Mandated Expense: Extraordinary expenses (Reserve funds, major façade renovations, elevator replacements). The landlord cannot pass these charges to the tenant.

Additionally, if the property carries past-due tax debts from previous years or the landlord's outstanding IPTU arrears, the landlord is forbidden from bundling those ancient debts into the new tenant's payment responsibilities without prior disclosure and assumption of debt agreements.

Back to Brazil Landlord-Tenant Laws Overview.