Managing property in Türkiye from abroad starts with controlling money and authority, then monitoring the service.Owning a rented apartment need not mean travelling for every fault, but it does require a system defining who acts, how payment is made and what proves the work. A manager skilled at finding tenants may be weak at accounting; an attractive report may conceal late collection or unjustified repair costs. This 2026 guide helps establish a management relationship you can monitor, for one apartment or several. All figures are hypothetical planning examples rather than service tariffs or market prices.
Illustrative document signing; the photograph does not establish a valid contract or completed legal procedure.
Define the service before selecting a manager
Describe your needs precisely: is the property vacant and needs marketing, occupied and needs collection and follow-up, or a holiday home requiring checks while you are away? These are different services, reflected in price and contract. A monthly visit to an empty apartment is not tenancy management; monitoring complex charges does not automatically include representing you before authorities or signing a new lease.Ask each candidate to separate core and additional services, specifying visits, response hours and a backup contact. Ask about nearby properties they manage and cover during staff absence. A maintenance team's proximity matters more than a large office in another city. Test a practical request, such as a sample invoice and fault report, before handing over keys.
Verify the company and authorised representative
Obtain the company's legal name, tax number, address and authorised signatory. Match the account receiving management fees to the contracting party and request invoices from the same entity. If services include estate agency, verify the business authorisation through the Ministry of Trade's system, which lists the business name, certificate number and province. It does not prove accounting quality, but helps identify the agency provider.The Ministry of Trade explains that rent and subscription monitoring, repair coordination and management services can be defined in the authorisation agreement. Do not accept 'full management' alone. Request written details and check references with their owners' consent, without circulating their contracts or tenant information. Online reviews start the assessment; they do not replace testing a defined service and reviewing its records.
Separate the management contract from power of attorney
The management contract defines service, fees and responsibility; a power of attorney grants legal authority according to its wording and acceptance by the relevant institution. Do not grant sale or mortgage powers merely to let a manager follow up an electricity bill. Have a lawyer identify tasks genuinely requiring a power of attorney, with a clear duration and suitable property-specific limits, then review revocation and notification when the relationship ends.Under the Turkish Code of Obligations, an agent must, at the principal's request, account for work undertaken and hand over what was received in connection with the mandate. Translate that principle into procedures: report dates, document lists, transfer deadlines and dispute channels. Also address subcontractors: who selects them and monitors their work? The manager's coordination responsibility should be understood by both parties, rather than left as an initial verbal promise.
| Task | Suggested contractual authority | Required evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Visits and inspections | Coordinated access respecting the tenant's rights | A visit record and corresponding photographs |
| Routine repairs | An agreed spending limit per incident | Work order, invoice and completion evidence |
| A new tenancy | Written approval before commitment | Draft agreement and signatory's identity and authority |
| Sale or mortgage | Separate authorisation where needed | Legal review and a defined transaction |
Make collections reconcilable
Identify the rent recipient's account, unit number and month covered by each transfer. Administratively, direct payment to the owner's account is preferable where the lease and banking arrangements permit, with the manager paid separately. If the company must collect, the agreement should explain why, how long it holds funds, how client balances remain separate and how it provides reconcilable statements.Revenue Administration guidance requires residential and workplace rent receipts and payments to be documented through banks or the postal service, without a rent threshold. Retain transaction receipts and descriptions: a 'paid' screenshot cannot identify a particular month's rent without the amount and beneficiary. Do not share banking passwords or verification codes with the manager. Arrange suitable reporting access and bank permissions with the bank itself instead of granting unrestricted access.
Keep rent, deposits and expenses separate
Records should distinguish monthly rent, tenant deposits, advance maintenance funds and management fees. A deposit carries conditions for use and repayment; it is not extra income available for any expense. Transferring money into a maintenance fund does not itself make it a final expense: actual spending needs a transaction and document, while unused money remains your balance.Request a statement starting with the opening balance, adding receipts, deducting payments and ending with the closing balance. If net rent is transferred to you, show that transfer separately so cash movements remain visible. Review unpaid liabilities too: a healthy bank balance may coexist with a deferred maintenance invoice. Reconcile bank statements, reports and invoices to identify timing differences and prevent double-counting.
Define maintenance and emergency procedures
Separate urgent hazards, faults affecting use and deferrable improvements. An active water leak needs immediate damage limitation and communication; a cosmetic replacement can await a quote. Set a per-incident spending limit and prohibit splitting one repair into small invoices to evade it. If preventing urgent damage requires exceeding the limit, the manager should document the reason, action and photographs and notify you immediately.For recurring repairs, request diagnosis rather than replacing the same part monthly. Record warranties, installation dates and suppliers. For larger work, compare quantities, materials, removal, transport and cleaning rather than abbreviated totals. A manager is no substitute for an engineer when cracks or structural alterations arise. Shared-area problems require building management coordination and allocation of responsibility before charging the entire cost to your apartment.
Illustrative residential building; the photograph does not establish legal status, safety or returns.
A useful monthly report
A good report explains changes and decisions, rather than providing only an apartment photograph and net transfer figure. Include occupancy, rent due and collected, arrears, expenses, balances, and contracts or warranties nearing expiry. Link each invoice file internally, noting approval date, supplier and service completion.Include a short decision section for repairs, service renewals or marketing changes. If nothing changed, say so rather than inventing activity. Set a report date and response period for questions, and require exportable records when the agreement ends. Do not depend on a closed application leaving expense history with the company alone: organised monthly files support the accountant and transfer to a new manager.
| Report section | What it should show | Owner's decision |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | Due, collected and overdue amounts by month | Follow up collection differences |
| Maintenance | Cause, cost, warranty and completion status | Accept work or request completion |
| Cash | Opening and closing balances and transfers | Reconcile with the bank |
| Upcoming events | Renewals, visits and due dates | Approve before the deadline |
A financial example: net income versus fund balance
Assume monthly rent of TRY 30,000 and an agreed management fee of 8% of collected rent only, with no other fees in this example. Rent is fully collected; an approved repair costs 3,000 and another owner expense under the agreement costs 1,500. Management costs 2,400, leaving net income of 23,100 before the owner's income tax and financing.If the maintenance fund opens at 5,000 and pays for the 3,000 repair, its balance falls to 2,000. Do not deduct the repair again from rent while leaving the fund reduced without explanation. You can allocate 3,000 to replenish the fund, receiving a cash transfer of 23,100 after the fee, other expense and replenishment. Without replenishment, you receive 26,100 and the fund stays at 2,000. The total economic outcome is the same.
| Hypothetical movement | TRY | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent collected | 30,000 | The month's revenue |
| Management fee | 2,400 | 30,000 × 8% |
| Repair | 3,000 | One expense, regardless of the payment source |
| Other owner's expense | 1,500 | Documented under the agreement |
| Economic net income | 23,100 | Before tax and financing |
Reduce conflicts of interest
A manager may earn a percentage of repair costs or use a supplier owned by a relative. That does not automatically make the service poor, but requires disclosure, comparison and records. Require disclosure of supplier commissions or discounts and how the owner benefits. If the company performs work itself, request a separate quotation to compare price and scope with an independent alternative.Review fee calculation: rent due or rent collected, a minimum during vacancy, and extra charges for finding a new tenant. The fee structure can encourage appropriate or costly behaviour. A collection-based fee differs from a fixed fee for visits and security. A 'guaranteed return' does not replace assessing the guarantor, conditions and resources. Evaluate observable performance, such as fault resolution speed and reporting accuracy.
Organise keys, vacancy checks and insurance
Record the keys, cards and devices handed over, where they are stored, who may enter and why. Do not allow keys to circulate among suppliers without a log. During vacancy, require checks for leaks, ventilation, pests and windows, following seasonal and equipment guidance. Switching every system off indiscriminately can create problems rather than save money.Review insurance with the insurer or authorised intermediary: actual use, vacancy periods, contents, leaks, liability, exclusions and reporting requirements. A policy does not cover every incident merely because it exists. Keep emergency and building management contacts, defining who reports claims and gathers evidence. Ownership of a rented home does not authorise uncoordinated entry: respect tenant rights and lawful agreed visiting procedures.
Generic illustrative living room; this is not a listed property or evidence of location or quality.
Starting and ending management
At the start:- Identify the property, manager, services, fee, term and approved communication channel.
- Provide organised contracts, warranties, condition records, meter readings and keys.
- Confirm collection accounts, repair limits and emergency procedures.
- Agree the report, attachments and reconciliation of balances and liabilities.
Common mistakes and practical questions
Should I choose the lowest management percentage? Compare total cost and service. A low percentage with extra visit, repair and marketing fees may exceed a fuller offer; missing reports also create less visible time costs and risks.Does a net rent transfer prove the accounts are correct? No. Request gross receipts, deductions and invoices, then reconcile them with the bank. A net figure alone conceals differences.
Can the manager appoint a tenant without consulting me? It depends on the contract and authority. Define selection criteria, commitment limits and owner approval before signing.
What is the most damaging mistake? Combining broad authority, unclear accounts and missing invoices. Limit these risks from the start and periodically review a sample of transactions.
When should I change the manager? When reports or collections repeatedly arrive late without explanation, documents are refused or approvals exceeded. Record the facts, review the agreement and arrange handover before service stops. Good management makes the property's condition and finances understandable even from abroad.
Related topics 
A Landlord’s Tenancy Agreement in Türkiye: Rent Increases, Deposits, Maintenance and Records Property and Rental Income Taxes in Türkiye for Non-residents: Records and Returns Buying Property Remotely in Türkiye: Powers of Attorney, Transfers and Documented Payments New Apartment Handover in Türkiye: Defects, Meters and Utilities Building Safety Before Buying in Türkiye: Earthquakes and the Limits of DASK Cover Tourist Rentals in Türkiye in 2026: Permits, Building Requirements and Operations Assessing a Property Investment in Türkiye: Net Rent, Financing and Risk Co-owning Property in Türkiye: Ownership Shares, Management and Exit Selling Property in Türkiye in 2026: Pricing, Tax and Net Proceeds
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