Around 50 citizens from social housing estates attended a public hearing regarding the Housing Act which took place at parliament in Lisbon.

António Teixeira, who was repreenting one estate association, said there had been a huge rise in rents since 2014, with rents going up from €11 to €390.

The residents refused to pay and deposited the previous sums in the state-owned bank Caixa Geral de Depósitos bank.

Teixeira said in March 2018 they were threatened to be evicted if they didn't pay their rents and called for the new law to eliminate interest for late payment on 50% of the rents delayed.

Maria Felicidade Nunes, from the association of Bairro do Zambujal, in the Amadora district, said many houses were derelict and that there were big families living in just two rooms.