Tenant Rights in Turkey: Rent Increases, Deposits and Eviction Rules

In Turkey (Türkiye), a residential landlord cannot end a lease simply because its term has expired, and cannot raise the rent on renewal by more than the twelve-month average change in the consumer price index. A fixed-term residential lease renews automatically for one year at a time unless the tenant gives notice at least fifteen days before the end of the term; the landlord may terminate without giving a reason only after ten years of such renewals. Eviction otherwise requires one of the grounds listed in the Turkish Code of Obligations (No. 6098, Art. 347–354), and those rules cannot be changed to the tenant's disadvantage by contract.

These protections apply to foreign tenants exactly as they do to Turkish ones. This guide explains rent increases, the deposit, renewal and termination, every eviction ground and its deadline, and the procedure for disputes.

• Renewal: automatic for one year unless the tenant gives 15 days' notice before the term ends (Art. 347(1)).
• Landlord cannot terminate on expiry; only after the ten-year extension period, with three months' notice (Art. 347(1)).
• Rent increase cap: the twelve-month average change in the consumer price index for the previous rental year (Art. 344(1)).
• After five years: the court can reset the rent by reference to comparable rents (Art. 344(3)).
• Rent in foreign currency: no change for five years (Art. 344(4)).
• No extra charges or penalty clauses beyond rent and ancillary costs (Art. 346).
• Eviction grounds are exhaustive and cannot be altered against the tenant (Art. 354).
• Mediation is a mandatory first step in rental disputes before a lawsuit.

Legal status of this guide. It reflects the Turkish Code of Obligations (No. 6098) as currently in force. It covers leases of dwellings and roofed workplaces. The temporary 25 per cent cap on residential rent increases applied between June 2022 and July 2024 and is no longer in force. Last updated: October 2026.

In this guide

• The lease contract
• The deposit
• Rent increases
• The five-year rent reset
• Rent in dollars or euros
• Renewal and the tenant's right to leave
• When the landlord can evict
• The eviction undertaking
• Unpaid rent
• If the property is sold
• Disputes: mediation, courts and enforcement
• Points specific to foreign tenants
• Frequently asked questions

The lease contract

A lease does not have to be in any particular form to be valid; an oral lease is binding. A written contract is nevertheless essential in practice — for proof, for utility subscriptions, for address registration, and for a residence permit application. Notarisation is not a condition of validity, though the migration authorities commonly ask for a notarised lease in residence permit files.

Whatever the contract says, certain rules cannot be contracted out of where they protect the tenant:

• apart from the determination of the rent, no changes may be made to the lease to the tenant's disadvantage (Art. 343);
• the tenant cannot be made to pay anything other than the rent and ancillary costs; in particular, clauses providing for a penalty if rent is paid late, or for all future rent to fall due at once, are invalid (Art. 346);
• the provisions on ending the lease by court action cannot be altered to the tenant's detriment (Art. 354).

A clause such as "the tenant will vacate at the end of one year without notice" or "the landlord may terminate at any time on one month's notice" has no effect in a residential lease.

The deposit

Under the Code of Obligations, where the tenant is required to provide security in a residential or roofed-workplace lease, it may not exceed three months' rent. If it is given in cash, it is to be placed in a term savings account in the tenant's name, from which it cannot be withdrawn without the landlord's consent; the bank may release it only with both parties' agreement, a final enforcement order or a final court judgment. If the landlord does not notify the bank within three months of the end of the lease that proceedings have been brought against the tenant, the bank must return the security at the tenant's request (Art. 342).

In practice many deposits are simply handed to the landlord in cash. To protect yourself:

• pay by bank transfer with a description stating that it is the deposit for the named property, or obtain a signed receipt;
• record the condition of the property at handover with dated photographs and an inventory signed by both parties;
• do the same when you leave, and return the keys against a written acknowledgement.

The landlord may deduct unpaid rent, unpaid bills and damage beyond normal wear and tear. Ordinary deterioration from proper use is not the tenant's liability.

Rent increases

Article 344 sets the rules for renewal periods:

• Where the contract contains an increase clause, the clause is valid only up to the twelve-month average change in the consumer price index (CPI) for the previous rental year. A clause providing for a higher percentage is reduced to that ceiling. This applies also to leases concluded for more than one year (Art. 344(1)).
• Where there is no clause, the rent is determined by the court, equitably and having regard to the condition of the property, again not exceeding the same CPI figure (Art. 344(2)).

The relevant figure is the "twelve-month average" rate published monthly by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), taken for the month in which the lease renews. It is a ceiling: landlord and tenant may agree a lower increase, and the tenant is not obliged to accept a higher one. A landlord's statement that "the market rent is now double" has no legal effect on a lease in its first five years.

If you pay more than the lawful ceiling under pressure, you may be taken to have agreed to it. State your position in writing and pay the lawful amount by bank transfer with a clear description.

The five-year rent reset

Regardless of any agreement between the parties, in leases of more than five years, or renewed after five years, and at the end of every subsequent five years, the rent for the new rental year is determined by the court equitably, taking into account the CPI rate, the condition of the property and comparable rents (Art. 344(3)). In the years between resets, the CPI ceiling applies again to the reset rent.

This is the "rent determination case" (kira tespit davası). It is the landlord's main lawful tool where a long tenancy has fallen far below market level — and, in a falling market, a tenant's tool as well. Timing rules (Art. 345):

• the case can be brought at any time;
• the rent set by the court binds the tenant from the start of the new rental period only if the case is filed at least thirty days before that period begins, or the landlord has given the tenant written notice within that time that the rent will be increased — in which case the action may be brought until the end of the new period;
• where the contract provides for an increase in the new period, an action brought by the end of that period also takes effect from its beginning.

Rent in dollars or euros

Where the rent is agreed in a foreign currency, it cannot be changed for five years, subject to the general rule on excessive hardship; after five years the court determines the rent taking into account changes in the value of the currency (Art. 344(4)). The provision is expressly subject to the legislation on the protection of the value of the Turkish currency.

That legislation restricts foreign-currency pricing in leases of real estate located in Turkey between persons resident in Turkey, with exceptions — notably, as the rules have been framed, where the tenant is a resident who is not a Turkish citizen. Whether a foreign-currency rent clause is permitted in your lease therefore depends on the parties' nationality and residence, and the exceptions have been amended several times. Have the clause checked before signing; an impermissible clause is converted to Turkish lira under the rules in force.

Renewal and the tenant's right to leave

• Fixed-term leases. Unless the tenant gives notice at least fifteen days before the end of the term, the contract is deemed extended for one year on the same terms. The landlord cannot end it on the ground that the term has expired (Art. 347(1)).
• After ten years of extensions, the landlord may terminate without giving a reason, by notice given at least three months before the end of any subsequent extension year (Art. 347(1)).
• Indefinite leases. The tenant may terminate at any time, and the landlord after ten years from the start of the lease, by notice under the general provisions (Art. 347(2)).
• Form. Notice of termination of a residential or workplace lease is valid only if given in writing (Art. 348). Send it through a notary or by registered post with return receipt.
• Family home. A tenant cannot terminate the lease of the family home without the spouse's express consent (Art. 349).
• Leaving before the term ends. A tenant who returns the property early remains liable for the rent for a reasonable period in which the property could be re-let on similar terms, unless they propose a solvent and acceptable replacement tenant willing to take over the lease.

When the landlord can evict

Apart from termination after the ten-year period and termination for unpaid rent, the landlord can end a residential lease only by court action on one of the following grounds. The list is exhaustive.

Ground	Requirement	Deadline for the landlord	Basis
Need	The landlord, spouse, descendants, ascendants or others the landlord is legally obliged to support genuinely need the property as a home or workplace	Action within one month of the end of the term (fixed-term), or of the date determined under the notice rules (indefinite)	Art. 350(1)
Reconstruction or substantial alteration	Essential repair, extension or alteration is necessary and the property cannot be used during the works	Same	Art. 350(2)
New owner's need	The person who acquires the property needs it for themselves or the same relatives	Written notice to the tenant within one month of acquisition, then action after six months; or action within one month of the end of the term	Art. 351
Written eviction undertaking	After delivery of the property, the tenant undertook in writing to vacate on a specific date and did not	Enforcement or action within one month of that date	Art. 352(1)
Two justified warnings	The tenant caused two justified written warnings for non-payment within one rental year (or within the term, for leases shorter than a year)	Action within one month of the end of the rental year in which the warnings were given	Art. 352(2)
Tenant owns a suitable home	The tenant or cohabiting spouse owns a habitable dwelling in the same district or municipality, and the landlord did not know this when the lease was made	Action within one month of the end of the lease	Art. 352(3)

Further rules protect the tenant:

• Extension of the deadline. If the landlord notifies the tenant in writing, no later than the deadline for the action, that an action will be brought, the deadline is extended by one rental year (Art. 353).
• Ban on re-letting. A landlord who obtains eviction on the ground of need may not, without just cause, let the property to anyone other than the former tenant for three years; a property vacated for reconstruction may not be let in its old state for three years, and the former tenant has priority to rent it in its new state at the new rent (Art. 355). A landlord in breach must pay the former tenant compensation of not less than one year's rent.
• Genuineness. The need must be real, serious and continuing; the court examines it. A need invented to obtain a higher rent fails.

Not eviction grounds: the landlord's wish to increase the rent, the tenant's refusal to accept an unlawful increase, the expiry of the term, or the tenant's nationality.

The eviction undertaking

The written eviction undertaking (tahliye taahhütnamesi) deserves particular care, because it is the quickest route to eviction and is widely demanded from tenants at signing. Under Article 352(1) it is effective only if:

• it is in writing and signed by the tenant;
• it was given after the property was delivered to the tenant; and
• it names a specific date for vacating.

An undertaking signed on the same day as the lease, or before the tenant took possession, is regarded as given under the pressure of needing a home and is invalid. For that reason landlords often ask tenants to sign a form with the dates left blank, to be filled in later. Do not sign a blank or undated undertaking. If you have already done so, keep evidence of when it was actually signed — messages, the estate agent's correspondence, witnesses — because the date is what the dispute will turn on.

With a valid undertaking, the landlord may apply to the enforcement office or the court within one month of the stated date. The tenant can object, in particular to the signature or the date.

Unpaid rent

Paying the rent in full and on time is the tenant's primary obligation. Two separate mechanisms follow from default:

• Termination for default. If the tenant does not pay rent or ancillary costs that have fallen due, the landlord may give written notice setting a period for payment — at least thirty days for residential and roofed-workplace leases — and stating that the lease will be terminated if payment is not made. If it is not, the landlord may terminate and seek eviction. In practice this is done through the enforcement office by a payment order with an eviction request.
• Two justified warnings. Even if the tenant pays within the period each time, two justified written warnings for late payment in one rental year give the landlord an eviction ground at the end of that year (Art. 352(2)).

Always pay by bank transfer, into the landlord's own account, with a description such as "rent for [month and year], [address]". Cash payments without receipts are the commonest source of eviction cases that tenants lose.

If the property is sold

A sale does not end the lease: the new owner becomes the landlord on the existing terms. The new owner can evict only on the ground of personal need under Article 351, and only by following its timetable — written notice within one month of acquiring the property and an action after six months, or an action within one month of the end of the lease term. Without that notice, the new owner has to wait for the end of the term. The deposit and the rent history carry over; ask the seller and buyer to confirm in writing who holds the deposit.

Disputes: mediation, courts and enforcement

• Mandatory mediation. Since September 2023, applying to a mediator is a precondition for bringing disputes arising from lease relationships to court, with limited exceptions such as eviction through enforcement proceedings without judgment. The application is made at the mediation office in the courthouse; if no agreement is reached, the final report is attached to the lawsuit.
• Court. Lease disputes — eviction, rent determination, deposit and damage claims — are heard by the civil court of peace (sulh hukuk mahkemesi) of the place where the property is located.
• Enforcement offices handle eviction for unpaid rent and on written undertakings. A tenant served with a payment order has a short period to object; missing it can make the order final. Take any enforcement paper to a lawyer on the day it arrives.
• Self-help is unlawful. A landlord may not change the locks, remove belongings or cut off water, electricity or gas to force a tenant out. Such acts can be stopped by the court and may constitute criminal offences.
• Duration. Eviction and rent cases commonly take a year or more including appeal.

Facing a rent demand, an eviction notice or an enforcement order? Send the document and your lease. Message Yayla Law on WhatsApp or use the contact form. Objection periods in enforcement proceedings are counted in days.

Points specific to foreign tenants

• Equal protection. The Code of Obligations makes no distinction by nationality. A foreign tenant has the same rights, and access to the same courts and mediators, as a Turkish one.
• Language. The Turkish text of the lease is what a court will read. Have it translated before signing; do not rely on a summary.
• Residence permits. A lease is commonly used as proof of address. Check, before renting, whether the neighbourhood is open to new foreigner address registrations, since a lease in a closed neighbourhood will not support a permit. A fictitious lease used for a permit is a ground for refusal and can amount to the use of false documents; see Residence Permit Rejected in Turkey.
• Short-term lets. Renting out residential property to tourists for short periods is subject to a separate permit regime introduced in 2024; a tenant may not sublet in this way without the landlord's consent and the required permit.
• Estate agents. Commission is subject to regulatory limits; ask for an invoice.
• Leaving Turkey. Give written notice in time, document the handover, close utility subscriptions in your name, and leave a power of attorney if the deposit has not been returned.

Frequently asked questions

How much can a landlord increase the rent in Turkey?

On renewal, by no more than the twelve-month average change in the consumer price index for the previous rental year, as published by the Turkish Statistical Institute. A higher increase clause is valid only up to that ceiling. The temporary 25 per cent cap ended in July 2024.

Can a landlord evict a tenant when the lease ends?

No. A residential lease renews automatically for one year unless the tenant gives fifteen days' notice. The landlord cannot terminate because the term has expired, and may terminate without reason only after ten years of extensions, with three months' notice.

What are the legal grounds for eviction in Turkey?

The landlord's or a new owner's genuine need for the property, necessary reconstruction, a valid written eviction undertaking, two justified warnings for late rent in one year, the tenant owning a suitable home in the same district, unpaid rent after a written notice period, and expiry of the ten-year extension period.

How much deposit can a landlord ask for?

No more than three months' rent. By law a cash deposit is to be placed in a bank savings account in the tenant's name that can be released only with both parties' consent or a court or enforcement order.

Is an eviction undertaking signed with the lease valid?

No. An undertaking to vacate is effective only if given in writing after the property has been delivered to the tenant and for a specific date. One signed at the same time as the lease, or left blank, can be challenged.

Can the landlord raise the rent after five years?

After five years, and every five years thereafter, the court can set a new rent equitably, taking into account the consumer price index, the condition of the property and comparable rents — which may exceed the annual ceiling.

What happens if the landlord sells the property?

The lease continues with the new owner. The new owner can evict only for personal need, by giving written notice within one month of acquisition and bringing an action after six months, or by suing within one month of the end of the lease term.

Can a landlord change the locks or cut the utilities?

No. Eviction can only be carried out through the courts or enforcement offices. Changing locks, removing belongings or cutting utilities to force a tenant out is unlawful.

Do foreign tenants have the same rights as Turkish tenants?

Yes. The tenant protection rules of the Code of Obligations apply regardless of nationality, and foreign tenants have the same access to mediation and the courts.

Legal basis and sources

• Turkish Code of Obligations No. 6098, Articles 299–356, in particular 342–355 — official consolidated text at mevzuat.gov.tr.
• Law on Mediation in Civil Disputes No. 6325 (mandatory mediation in lease disputes).
• Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law No. 2004 (eviction through enforcement).
• Turkish Statistical Institute, consumer price index — tuik.gov.tr.

This article provides general legal information on Turkish law as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. The rules on foreign-currency rent and short-term rentals have changed repeatedly; check the current position for your lease.