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SETTLE IN · 10 PLANNING GUIDES

Setting up your home

Connect services, understand the contracts and make the house comfortable. Check availability at the exact address before placing an order.

START WITH THE PRACTICALITIES

Find your next step.

Explore the guides in this area, then put your own information into a plan.

Use the Monthly Cost of Living Planner
A new apartment gradually becoming a home.
A qualified technician checking a modern household electricity breaker panel in a Portuguese entry cupboard.
Setting up your home

Setting Up Electricity and Gas

Set up energy using the property identifiers and the service conditions relevant to the address.

Read the guide
A neat recycling station on a Portuguese residential street with distinct coloured bins.
Setting up your home

Water, Waste and Local Services

Water, waste and related services depend on the authority or operator serving the address.

Read the guide
A white unbranded home router on a wooden shelf beside an ethernet cable and a laptop with blurred screen.
Setting up your home

Internet Availability at Your Address

Internet availability must be confirmed at the exact address and installation point.

Read the guide
A newly arrived traveller setting up an unbranded smartphone beside a suitcase on a cafe bench.
Setting up your home

Mobile Plans and Arrival Connectivity

Arrival connectivity and a long-term mobile plan can solve different needs.

Read the guide
Two utility contract folders opened beside a calculator and a simple desk lamp.
Setting up your home

Comparing Utility Contracts

Compare utility contracts using the same consumption and time period.

Read the guide
A domestic meter cupboard with neat sealed meters and an adult holding a phone to record a reading.
Setting up your home

Meters, Bills and Direct Debits

Meter readings and organised bills help explain what you are paying for.

Read the guide
An unfurnished apartment being equipped with a flat-pack chair.
Setting up your home

Furnishing and Equipping Your Home

Furnishing works best when the first purchases support daily life and fit the actual space.

Read the guide
A dehumidifier beside an open shuttered window in a Portuguese bedroom.
Setting up your home

Heating, Cooling and Damp

Heating, cooling and moisture problems should be assessed through the building and how it is used.

Read the guide
A home emergency shelf with a torch.
Setting up your home

Home Security and Emergency Preparation

A home emergency plan should be simple enough to use under pressure.

Read the guide
A packed router and its labelled-only-by-colour cables beside an unmarked return box at a dining table.
Setting up your home

Cancelling or Transferring Home Services

Service changes should be coordinated with possession dates and written contract requirements.

Read the guide

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