A sound tenancy agreement identifies the property, payment terms, deposit and maintenance duties, so each expense or late payment does not become a new dispute.For a landlord, the highest advertised rent does not necessarily produce the best result. Choosing a suitable tenant, handing over a usable home, recording payments and defining each party’s responsibilities matter more than adding lengthy clauses that cannot be enforced. This guide covers long-term residential tenancies in Türkiye and uses hypothetical examples. Eviction procedures and litigation require legal advice based on the particular facts.
Illustrative document signing; this is not the reader’s property registration, permit or individual procedure. Photo: Alena Darmel / Pexels.
Verify the parties and their authority to sign
Match the landlord’s and tenant’s details to their identity documents, and specify correspondence addresses and contact details. If an agent signs, check that the power of attorney authorises the relevant act. If the landlord is a company, verify its representative’s authority. A name in an advert, or someone accepting the keys, does not establish authority to bind the owner.For jointly owned property, establish who can grant the tenancy and receive payments; one co-owner’s signature may not resolve the issue. Give your property manager a copy of the agreement, but retain a complete copy and all its schedules yourself. Request information reasonably needed to assess the ability to pay, and avoid collecting personal data without a purpose. Nationality or occupation alone does not guarantee payment: look for an understandable source of income, clear commitments and a person you can contact. Record the intended occupants as required by the agreement rather than leaving use of the home unspecified.
Describe the home and its permitted use precisely
State the address, unit number and floor, and identify any included storage room or parking space. Specify whether the home is furnished and attach an inventory of furniture and appliances with their condition. “Complete apartment” does not establish whether a private parking space or a store used by the owner is included. Do not imply exclusive use of shared space unless the building’s rules grant it.Define the agreed residential use, expected occupants and arrangements for alterations or subletting, subject to legal review of the terms. Do not implicitly authorise short-term tourist letting, which has its own rules. Explain noise, facilities and common-area rules before signing, in a language the tenant understands. Describe any known defect and the repair date instead of concealing it in general wording. An accurate description reduces mismatched expectations and makes the handover report useful at the end of the tenancy.
| Item | What to record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Address, floor and separate unit number | Avoid confusion between apartments in the building |
| Included areas | Parking and storage, if included | Define the space available for use |
| Furnishings | Appliance and furniture inventory with condition | Establish what was actually handed over |
| Use | Residential use and understandable conditions | Define permitted activities and alterations |
Specify the rent, due date and payment records
Both parties should understand whether the amount is monthly or annual, its currency, the due date and the payment account. Identify the account holder, how a change of account will be notified, and the transfer reference linking each payment to the home and month. If someone pays on the tenant’s behalf, retain a record showing which obligation the payment settled.Tax administration guidance requires residential and commercial rental payments to be documented through a bank or PTT, regardless of amount, including daily and weekly rentals. Do not make routine cash collection the contractual payment method. Keep bank statements and a monthly ledger, distinguishing rent, the security deposit and service charges. If TRY 50,000 arrives when the rent is TRY 30,000, do not assume the balance is additional income: it may be a deposit or payment for another period. Accurate reconciliation supports both tenancy management and tax preparation.
Make the rent-increase clause understandable
Under the general renewal rule for residential premises and roofed business premises, Article 344 limits an agreed increase to the change in the twelve-month average consumer price index. Use the official figure relevant to the renewal period, rather than choosing monthly or annual inflation because it is higher. The 25% limit was temporary, covering periods that ended in July 2024; it is not a permanent rule for a new agreement in 2026.State the calculation method and effective date, and check whether the agreed increase is lower than the cap. A statutory ceiling does not make every percentage below it automatically agreed. Tenancies lasting more than five years have special rules for judicial rent determination, taking account of the property’s condition and comparable rents. Do not state that the end of year five lets the landlord impose an unlimited increase. Foreign-currency agreements and other special cases need separate review. Retain the renewal notice, the calculation sent and the other party’s response.
Worked example: rent increase and collection record
Assume the previous rent is TRY 30,000, the agreed increase is 20%, and a hypothetical 30% ceiling applies to the case. These figures illustrate the calculation; they are not the actual renewal rate for any month in 2026. The new rent is TRY 36,000, an increase of TRY 6,000. The hypothetical ceiling would be TRY 39,000. A higher ceiling does not automatically replace a lower agreed increase.| Hypothetical calculation | Result in TRY | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 30,000 × 20% | 6,000 | Agreed increase |
| 30,000 + 6,000 | 36,000 | New rent |
| 30,000 × 1.30 | 39,000 | Hypothetical ceiling for comparison |
| 36,000 × 12 | 432,000 | Annual contractual rent if paid in full |
Illustrative building in Antalya; this is not the property being considered or evidence of its condition or permits. Photo: Annabel Ritson / Pexels.
Distinguish the security deposit from advance rent
For residential premises and roofed business premises, a security deposit cannot exceed three months’ rent. Where it is cash, Article 342 provides for placement in a term savings account that cannot be withdrawn without the landlord’s consent, with specific rules for release. Check the arrangements with the bank and an adviser rather than treating the deposit as money freely available to add to the landlord’s income.Record the amount, purpose and settlement procedure, and distinguish it from a month’s rent paid in advance. With rent of TRY 30,000 and a two-month deposit, the deposit is TRY 60,000; it is not rental income for calculating yield. Do not provide for automatic forfeiture of the entire deposit for a minor breach, or deduct for damage without a report, invoice and clear basis. Use check-in and check-out reports to compare condition. If both parties agree to use part of the deposit for settlement, document the amounts, reasons and consent, and check that the arrangement fits the bank’s procedure.
Allocate costs according to what they cover
The landlord is responsible for handing over premises fit for the agreed use and maintaining that fitness. The tenant’s responsibilities include day-to-day consumption, such as water and energy, under the agreement and applicable rules. Do not assign every building charge to the tenant in a single clause: a monthly bill may combine cleaning, operations and major refurbishment, which are different kinds of expenditure.Ask the management for an itemised breakdown, then review how the agreement allocates costs within legal limits. Damage caused by misuse differs from failure due to age or an existing defect and requires evidence. Set a process for reporting, inspecting and approving repairs. Do not require a tenant to wait days for the owner’s approval when a leak threatens neighbouring homes. Agree an emergency contact and an administrative spending limit for essential work, without treating that limit as removing either party’s legal responsibility. Obtain an invoice and a description of the work before approving the expense.
| Expense | Basis for allocation | Useful evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Water and electricity consumed | Use, meter readings and the agreement | Bill and handover reading |
| Shared cleaning and operations | Nature and terms of the service | Management’s breakdown |
| Major building refurbishment | Ownership, capital expenditure and the applicable rules | Decision and invoice |
| Appliance damage | Cause of failure, age and use | Technical report |
| Urgent leak repair | Established responsibility and need for intervention | Photos, invoice and incident report |
Use a clear handover report
Include the date, keys, meter readings, inventory and visible defects, supported by agreed photographs. Test the main appliances with the tenant where possible, and record anything not tested. Do not state that every appliance works if electricity or gas was unavailable. Give each party a copy clearly linked to the tenancy agreement.Specify who will transfer utility accounts and when, and how a bill spanning days before and after handover will be divided. Record a promised window or appliance repair with a deadline and responsible person, rather than leaving it only in a conversation. Repeat the inspection at the end, distinguishing ordinary wear from damage that needs evidence. A good report helps settlement, but signing it does not extinguish every latent-defect claim or make every photograph sufficient grounds for a deduction. Rights still depend on the circumstances, law and valid agreement.
Address arrears with records and the proper procedure
If a payment is missing, first check the bank reference, the month it covers and whether a partial transfer arrived. Send a statement showing the amount due, paid and outstanding, and request a specific response. Retain correspondence without altering monthly records to make the problem appear larger. If the property manager remits only part of the collection, establish whether the balance is documented fees or rent that was never collected.If arrears persist, give a lawyer the file early so they can identify the appropriate notice and procedure. Do not change locks, disconnect services or force entry to collect a debt. Eviction and notice procedures have conditions and deadlines that a general contractual clause cannot replace. Avoid a template imposing automatic penalties or making all future rent immediately due after any late payment without legal review; some such terms are invalid in residential tenancies. Clear records establish what happened; a qualified adviser determines the legal consequences and appropriate next step.
Plan renewal and departure ahead of time
Keep a calendar of the tenancy start, renewal date, correspondence and repairs. Under the general residential-tenancy rule, the expiry of the stated year does not by itself entitle the landlord to evict solely because the term has ended. Do not plan personal use on the assumption that the tenant will leave automatically. If selling, give the relevant adviser the tenancy agreement, deposit details and collection record before offering a buyer terms for vacant possession.For an agreed departure, record the key-return date, settlement of rent, utilities and deposit, and how a later bill will be handled. Do not sign a final release of all rights without understanding its effect. Arrange a suitable time with the tenant for inspection or sale visits; property management is not unrestricted permission to enter. If personal need, an undertaking to vacate or a renewal dispute arises, retain the original documents and dates and obtain advice on the particular case rather than applying someone else’s experience to your agreement.
Signing checklist and common mistakes
- Both parties’ identity and the signatory’s authority.
- The home, included areas and permitted use.
- Amount, due date, payment account and transfer reference.
- An understandable increase clause within the applicable rules.
- A separate deposit and arrangements for holding and settling it.
- Clear cost allocation and invoices that can be checked.
- A check-in report, photographs, meter readings and inventory.
- A repair-reporting process and emergency contact.
- A complete copy for each party and the authorised manager.
Illustrative home interior; this is not the location of the property discussed. Photo: Max Vakhtbovych / Pexels.
Frequently asked questions
Can I raise the rent by any amount if local rents increase?Check the renewal rule, the agreement and any special circumstances. Comparable rents alone do not give an unrestricted right to impose an increase.
Is a three-month deposit compulsory?
It is the maximum within the scope described above. The agreed amount may be lower.
Does the tenant pay every building charge?
Separate operating and usage costs from ownership and refurbishment costs, then check the agreement and statutory allocation.
Is annual contractual rent the same as income collected?
No. Distinguish the contractual amount from actual receipts, arrears, advance payments and the deposit.
Does the agreement end automatically after one year?
A landlord should not assume this. Renewal and termination depend on the applicable rules, facts and deadlines.
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