Eti Mah. Toros Sok. No: 15/5, Hikmet Ünal Business Centre, 06570 Çankaya / Ankara, Türkiye
Practice area
Property purchases, title disputes, leases and construction agreements.
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In Türkiye, ownership of real estate passes only on registration at the land registry. Before paying for a property, the title deed, encumbrances, zoning status and the seller’s authority must be checked — mistakes are expensive to undo.
We assist Turkish and foreign buyers, owners, landlords and developers in transactions and disputes, from due diligence to eviction and title cancellation actions.
At a glance
Title cancellation and registration actions are brought where a transfer was made without valid consent, through forgery, in breach of a promise to sell, or to defeat heirs. Foreign nationals may buy property subject to reciprocity, area limits and military-zone restrictions.
For residential and commercial leases, annual increases may not exceed the twelve-month average of the consumer price index. After five years, either party may ask the court to set the rent at market level. Rent disputes require prior mediation.
Tenants may be evicted for the landlord’s own or family members’ genuine need, renovation, non-payment after two justified warnings, a written undertaking to vacate or, for leases older than ten years, at the end of the extension period. Each ground has its own deadlines.
In construction-for-flats agreements, landowners exchange land for a share of the new units. Delays, defects and transfers of units before completion are the most common disputes; the agreement should be made before a notary to be valid.
An owner deprived of possession without right may seek an injunction to end interference and claim mesne profits (ecrimisil) for up to five years.
Owners whose land is expropriated may challenge the valuation; where the administration has used land without expropriating it, compensation can be claimed for de facto seizure.
Disputes over common areas, service charges, management decisions and use of units are governed by the Condominium Law and heard by the civil court of peace.
Cadastral records may be challenged in the cadastral court; after the ten-year period, claims based on facts before the cadastre are barred. Risky building procedures under Law No. 6306 also raise questions of majority decisions and tenants’ rights.
Related articles
A purchase meeting the minimum investment amount and holding conditions set by regulation can support a citizenship application. The thresholds change from time to time, so check them before buying.
Yes, through a lawyer or representative acting under a specific power of attorney.
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Tell us briefly what happened and whether any deadline is running; we will explain the options and next steps. We work in English, French and Turkish.
Guides
Real Estate Law3 min read
Restrictions on foreign ownership, due diligence before you pay, the title deed transfer, costs, off-plan purchases and the link between property and Turkish citizenship.
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