Can anyone advise me about what they do about gas,electricty and water meter readings.Obviously the utility companies just send estimated bills when you are not permanantly living at your home in Portugal.Do you have to employ a management agent to read the meters for you at intervals and pay the bills.If so do you have any idea how much it costs?

Not 100% sure about water but assume it is more or less the same as EDP. EDP (electric), resident or non-resident, only read the meter once a year and the rest of the bimonthly bills are estimated. Most non-residents I know have their bills on direct debit with their banks and pay a set amount until the meter is read. Where I live, we all use gas bottles, as no mains gas. In fact, I thought there was no mains gas in the the Algarve, but someone on here said that Portimão had some areas on mains gas.

Thanks for your help with that. Incidentally there is mains gas in Carvoeiro as we are on it!

No mains gas as such in Carvoeiro but some complexes have a central gas tank from which individual properties get their gas.
With regard to electricity readings it is possible to send a reading in by telephone or email to ensure your next bill is in line with actual use and not only estimated.

water meters are read every two months by the council and bills sent out for what you have used. This is for Silves.

bazza wrote:water meters are read every two months by the council and bills sent out for what you have used. This is for Silves.

Same applies to Lagoa.