KIRALIK – FOR RENT

Renting in Turkey

Holiday Rentals in Turkey

Longer Term Rentals in Turkey

What to ask your landlord

Deposit

Lease

Other Issues

                                    Furnished and Unfurnished

                                    Pricing Guide

                                    Earthquakes in Turkey

                                    Disputes

Renting in Turkey

A Foreigner is welcome to rent in Turkey, remembering of course that if you want to stay in the country for more than 3 consecutive months, you will need a residency visa.  If you are renting a property to live in, you are legally required to submit your name and passport to your consulate for verification.

Rental prices will vary in accordance to location, and a renting Turkish family pays approx 25% of their income to rent, with that percentage increasing in major cities. 

To find a rental property, fill in the search form on the home page and for a property for RENT.

Holiday Rentals

·         If you are renting a ‘Summer House’, Villa or apartment for a short time for vacation, they are usually fully furnished, and set up for short stay tenants.  It is always good to ask if the house is fully furnished before actually booking it.

·         Many holiday rentals in Turkey can provide cleaning services if required – please ask the owner/agent.

·         The deposit bond will vary from property to property, so be sure to ask what bond (if any) is required, how it is kept and how it is returned.

·         If you have any problems during your stay, there will usually be someone close at hand to arrange for the issue to be rectified.  Keep the contact details of the owner/agent with you in case issues arise.

·         Enjoy your Holiday!

Longer Term Rentals

As with most things in Turkey, rental contracts and agreements may have most points negotiated.  Things such as price per month, deposit and method of payment, to who is responsible for cleaning, gardening, and maintenance can be negotiated.  Have a look around the local area for rental prices of equivalent properties to judge the price of the property you wish to rent.

The most important thing is to get it all on paper.  Insist on a lease contract which states all aspects as agreed upon, and as with any legally binding agreement, it is wise to involve a lawyer.

You should also note that it is legal to have a rental contract stating that the payments be made in a currency other than Lira.  The agent/owner may prefer another currency, but it is your right to refuse, if you wish.

What to ask your landlord:

·         What deposits are required and what are they for?

·         Do you need to pay ‘service fees’ for an apartment or complex?

·         Are utilities (electricity, water etc) included in the rent or service fee, and are the utilities metered separately?

·         Are any recreational facilities included in rent or service fee?

·         What amount of notice do you need to give if you need to vacate the property before the lease expires, and if that will incur any charge?

·         Are you charged a fee if you are late with the rent?

·         Will you be able to renew the lease if required, and what rent increases may apply?  (There should be local rent-control regulations and you can research these if necessary).

·         What are your landlord’s entry rights?

·         Who is responsible for maintenance and repairs, and if the landlord is, then ask about what time provisions apply?  (for example, if it is decided that repairs are the responsibility of the landlord, and the pluming goes, what is the time frame for response and repair).

·         Who is responsible for the yard/garden maintenance?

·         Are pets allowed?

·         What is the commission the agent receives? (This can be negotiable).

In theory, the costs of utilities, heating, and service fees are the responsibility of the tenant, and costs of major repairs are the responsibility of the landlord.  It is often the case in practice that the tenant is asked to contribute to major repairs too.  Make sure you negotiate this point and have it in writing.

There is an Environment Tax (Çevre ve Temizlik Vergisi), payable in January and July, which is usually the responsibility of the tenant.  If the building or complex has a manager (Yönetici), they will be able to tell you.

Deposit

In Turkey it is normal to have to put down a deposit when renting a house.  This is anywhere up to 2 months rent (and it is negotiable). 

Ask about what the deposit covers.  The most common are as follows:

·         cleaning after you have vacated the property, (usually non-refundable),

·         to cover any unreasonable damage incurred during your tenancy, for example physical damage, breaking the lease without adequate notice, thereby causing the landlord financial damage. (This deposit should be repaid if the above hasn’t occurred).

·         An additional deposit if you have a pet, to pay for any damages if they occur (refundable if there is no damage)

It is important to document and/or photograph any damage prior to signing the lease.

Lease

It is imperative that you have a lease contract, and smart if you include the following:

·         Description and address of the property

·         Duration of the lease

·         Termination of the lease clause (include how much notice tenant/landlord is required to give, and what conditions and compensations apply)

·         Name of the landlord and tenant

·         Tenants’ responsibilities (including repairs and maintenance)

·         Landlord’s responsibilities including repairs and maintenance)

·         Deposit agreement (rules by which deposit will be refunded/withheld, and any rent in advance)

·         Property condition inspection report (including what comes with the property, eg. carpets, furniture, fittings, white-goods etc)

Other Issues

Furnished and Unfurnished

If a property is advertised as furnished, it doesn’t necessarily mean it has couches, beds, etc.  It may mean that it has some kitchen appliances (refrigerator, gas cooking stove) or carpets.  It is best to check with the vendor exactly what furniture is included before going to view the property.

If a property is advertised as unfurnished, it may be completely bare, including a lack of kitchen cupboards, light fittings, curtain rods etc.  Again, it’s best to check before viewing, to save wasting time.

If a rental property has been upgraded by the previous tenant (addition of heating, carpets, cupboards etc), you may be asked to reimburse them for the costs.  Make sure you negotiate and get value for money.

Pricing Guidelines

The most common forms of housing in Turkey are apartments or flats.  If a building has elevators, then the higher the flat, the more expensive it is.  This is due to the benefits of having a better view, being more secure, being further from street noise, and having access to cleaner air. 

However, if the building has no elevator, the flats closer to the ground rent for more.

Earthquakes

If you are renting an apartment or flat in Istanbul, you may wish to see or have the landlord arrange a report on the building, issued by a university or expertise company, showing if the building sustained any damage during the 1999 earthquakes.  Many buildings sustained small and unseen structural damage and some have not had these damages repaired.  Quite often the Yonetici (building manager) will have this information already. 

Please see our statistics page for the earthquake zone map of Turkey

Disputes

If you do come into dispute with a landlord, you can report it to the Local Municipal Office (Kaymakamlik).  If they are unable to resolve the issue, they will direct you to an office where you can make a formal complaint, or in a more serious matter, you may be advised to seek a lawyer.