Warm country, cold houses

The issue is well-known, and has been the subject of scientific study.

A report by the prestigious «Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health», undertaken by specialists from Ireland’s Dublin University, concluded that Portugal is European country where more people die of hypothermia due to lack of insulation in houses.

According to the study – which analysed the potential causes of death in winter in 14 European countries – Portugal has a mortality rate of 28 per cent, followed by Spain and Ireland with 21 per cent.

The report concludes that the fact that these countries have relatively warm climates has meant that the “thermal efficiency” of the houses is inferior to that of colder countries.

It’s enough to look into estate agents windows to realise that there are few homes on offer with previously-installed central heating systems.

Even newly-built urbanisations are vulnerable to the development of mould and humidity.

The general lack of quality in construction and building materials used here is all too visible to the naked eye.

In the Algarve – the region with more hours of sunshine than anywhere else in Portugal – you can almost instantly find a building with its façade pitted with the green fuzz of moss and mould.

However, the study does give some solutions to the problem – unfortunately not practical, viz (and we quote): “High seasonal mortality in southern and western Europe could be reduced through improved protection from the cold indoors, increased public spending on health care, and improved socio-economic circumstances resulting in more equitable income distribution.”

But, the good news is that few consumers today are willing to share their home with the cold.

Proof is in the number of complaints about housing received by DECO (the consumer rights association) last year.

The complaints increased significantly, with DECO processing 28.823 complaints about constructional defects, buildings with poor levels of energy conservation, poorly applied materials and the incapability of living up to their guarantees.

Housing was the 4th sector with the most complaints in 2009 – when it had hardly featured in DECO’s workload for 2008.

According to coordinator of DECO’s legal department Ana Tapadinhas, “people spend most money on their homes. If they buy a house that’s less than five years old and it has defects, they want to know their rights, and whether they can demand reparation”.

But the lawyer recognises that this is one of the sectors where mediation in conflicts has the least success.

In the main, DECO advises buyers to go straight to litigation – and is pushing for building guarantees on property to be extended from five years to ten.

But can we survive until the law changes, or Justice

steps in?