Initially, you should consider some important points if you would rent a real estate in Turkey, foreigners should make a written contract and add all the necessary information to the contract completely. Rental agreements in Turkey can also be made verbally, but in case of possible conflicts, we recommend that the agreements be made in writing, since making a written agreement is a proof. If you are a foreigner living as a tenant in Turkey and you have a conflict with your landlord, you should first try to resolve the situation with peace. However, as a result of this conflict you have experienced, any violence, threat, etc. and if you have come across a situation that constitutes a crime, you should go to the nearest police station and report it with a complaint petition and, if possible, report your situation with a health report. In Turkey, the conflicts between the landlord and the tenant usually arises due to the annual salary increase and the delay in the payment of the rent. In these cases, we would like to remind you that the contract you have made in writing is valid and that you cannot go out of the contract unless there is an agreement of both parties.
Except these cases, if you think that your landlord has violated the rental agreement, you have the right to file a lawsuit by applying to the competent courts. You can seek legal advice from a lawyer or ask them to represent you during the litigation process. In cases filed as a result of conflicts, you must pay a certain amount of fee to the lawyers you will request. If you are unable to afford the fees incurred for attorneyship services, you can go to the bar association in your city and request legal support and consultancy. Foreigners in Turkey can also benefit from the services provided by Legal Aid Offices. However, for this, you will be asked to submit an application and submit documents describing your situation, and an assessment of your application will be made.
If you have questions about what foreigners who have a conflict with their landlord in Turkey should do, you can send them to us in the comments section.
Hello,
I am a tenant at Istanbul since January 2022. I paid 5000$usd for a one year contract. The time to renew my contract is coming and my landlord told me that I need to pay 10,000usd a year for the new contract but from what I know there is a 25% increase limit? She said if I do not agree to pay the 10,000usd that she wants me to empty the apartment. I am never late to payments and already paid the entire year in full. Also she told me about the new price increase 25 days before the contract ends.
What happened then?