Landlord & Tenant Law in Türkiye

In Turkiye, rental relationships are among the most common contractual agreements in daily life, yet they are increasingly vulnerable to severe legal friction. Economic fluctuations, aggressive rent hikes, eviction demands, and breaches of lease terms frequently transform straightforward rentals into exhausting legal standoffs. Navigating the Turkish Code of Obligations—which heavily regulates residential and commercial leases—requires meticulous legal compliance, especially regarding rigid statutory notices and mandatory mediation deadlines.

At Kotan & Gökce Law Firm, we represent foreign property owners who rent out investments in Türkiye, as well as international residents navigating their tenant rights locally. From drafting ironclad lease agreements and executing formal eviction undertakings (tahliye taahhütnamesi) to litigating rent determination, adaptation, and eviction lawsuits, we provide clear, English-language advocacy to secure your financial and property interests.

Our Scope of Services for Foreign Landlords & Tenants:

  • Eviction Proceedings & Statutory Notices: Managing the strict legal notification processes and court filings to lawfully evict non-compliant tenants or defend against unlawful evictions.

  • Rent Determination & Adaptation Lawsuits: Litigating court-ordered rent adjustments (kira tespiti) or economic hardship adaptations (uyarlama) to bring lease prices in line with fair market values.

  • Enforcing Eviction Undertakings: Executing written eviction commitments (tahliye taahhütnamesi) through enforcement offices and courts.

  • Collection of Unpaid Rent & Dilapidations: Launching swift enforcement actions (icra takibi) to recover past-due rent and compensation for property damage.

  • Breach of Lease Terms & Misuse Fesih: Terminating lease contracts when properties are altered or used in direct violation of the agreed terms.

  • Eviction for Personal or Family Necessity: Filing targeted lawsuits for landlords who require immediate possession of their property for personal use or close relative occupancy.

  • Post-Disaster & Structural Damage Disputes: Resolving complex lease liabilities, deposit returns, or early terminations arising from earthquakes or severe building damage.

 

Why Kotan & Gökce?

Preventative Contractual Structuring:

We draft custom bilingual lease contracts and accompanying eviction undertakings that protect you from the start, minimizing the high risks of tenant-landlord deadlocks in Türkiye.

Bilingual Strategic Advocacy:

Turkish rental legislation has extremely rigid time windows. We handle all communications, mandatory pre-litigation mediation (arabuluculuk) sessions, and court trials on your behalf, removing the language barrier completely.

Balanced Jurisdictional Expertise:

Whether you are a foreign investor seeking to maximize your yield against a defaulting tenant, or an international resident protecting your home against arbitrary eviction, we deliver clear, realistic legal strategies.

Critical Landlord & Tenant Realities in Türkiye

A landlord demanding that a tenant vacate a property simply because the initial one-year lease period has ended.

Under Turkish law, residential tenants enjoy automatic statutory renewal rights. A landlord cannot evict a tenant simply because the lease term expires. Eviction can only be secured based on specific statutory grounds (such as failure to pay rent, personal necessity, or a valid eviction undertaking) and typically requires navigating strict court timelines.

 

A landlord imposing exorbitant, illegal rent increases between renewal periods.

Turkish law places strict statutory caps on annual rent increases for residential renewals, anchored to consumer price indexes. If a landlord demands a fahiş (exorbitant) increase above the legal limit, the tenant has the right to continue paying the legally capped amount. For long-term leases (exceeding 5 years), landlords must file a formal Rent Determination Lawsuit (Kira Tespit Davası) rather than forcing arbitrary figures.

 

A tenant refusing to vacate despite having signed a formal Eviction Undertaking (Tahliye Taahhütnamesi).

An eviction undertaking is an incredibly powerful tool for landlords, but it must be executed with absolute procedural precision. If the tenant fails to vacate on the agreed date, the landlord has a strict window of exactly 30 days to launch enforcement proceedings or file a lawsuit. If this deadline is missed, the undertaking loses its immediate enforcement power.

 

A tenant changing the property’s designated usage or causing chronic neighborhood disturbances.

If a residential property is converted into an unpermitted commercial office, or if a tenant systematically violates building rules via excessive noise or offensive behavior, the landlord can issue a formal cure notice. If the tenant fails to rectify the behavior within 30 days, the landlord has the statutory right to terminate the lease and file for immediate eviction due to breach of contract.

 

Rental disputes can severely impact your peace of mind and financial security. To structure a legally sound lease agreement, challenge an unlawful rent hike, or initiate a swift eviction process in Türkiye, contact our real estate and rental law team to schedule a consultation.

Your legal partner in Izmir-Turkiye

Please contact us for consultation. You can reach us via WhatsApp, phone or e-mail.

info@kotangokce.com Mon – Fri 09:00-18:00

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