Renting Out Your Property in Turkey: A Landlord's Guide for Foreign Owners (2026)

Yes, a foreign owner can rent out a property in Turkey just like a Turkish owner. You can even manage it from abroad. But Turkish rental law protects tenants strongly. Rent increases are capped, ending a lease is hard, and rent must be paid through a bank. This guide explains the rules, so you can rent out your home safely and avoid costly mistakes.

Long-Term or Short-Term Rental?

First decide how you want to rent. The rules are very different.

This guide covers long-term leases. For holiday lets, read our Airbnb rules and tax guide.

Before You Rent Out: Owner Checklist

• Turkish tax number: you already have one if you bought the property. See our tax number guide if not.
• Turkish bank account: rent must be paid through a bank, so you need an account to receive it. See our bank account guide.
• DASK earthquake insurance: keep it valid. Tenants often need the policy number to open utility accounts.
• Property tax: the owner pays the yearly property tax (emlak vergisi), not the tenant.
• Building rules: check the management plan and the monthly building fee (aidat). Our condominium law guide explains how buildings are run.
• Condition: fix problems before the tenant moves in. Take dated photos and videos of every room.

Finding and Checking a Tenant

A good tenant is worth more than a slightly higher rent. Before you sign:

• Meet the tenant, in person or by video call.
• Check their ID. For a foreign tenant, check the passport and their legal right to stay in Turkey.
• Ask about their job and income. Many Turkish landlords also ask for a guarantor (kefil).
• Ask for references from a previous landlord, if possible.

Foreign tenants usually need a notarised lease to apply for a residence permit. Plan for this if you rent to a foreigner. If you are abroad, your representative can sign at the notary for you with a power of attorney.

The Lease Agreement: What to Include

Always use a written lease. Have it in Turkish, with an English translation for you. A clear lease prevents most disputes.

Rent and Currency

Write the monthly rent, the payment day and your bank account (IBAN). Rent is normally set in Turkish lira. Foreign-currency rent is allowed only in some cases. Examples: the tenant is not a Turkish citizen, or one party lives outside Turkey. Ask us before you write a rent in dollars or euros.

Deposit

The deposit can be up to three months' rent. By law, a cash deposit should go into a bank savings account. It cannot be withdrawn without the tenant's consent. Write the deposit amount and the return conditions in the lease.

Who Pays What

Write the split in the lease. This avoids arguments later.

Inventory and Condition

Attach a list of furniture and appliances (demirbaş listesi) with photos. Both sides sign it. At the end of the lease, you compare the home with this list.

How Much Can You Raise the Rent?

This is the rule that surprises most foreign owners. For residential leases, the yearly increase at renewal cannot be higher than the 12-month average change in consumer prices (CPI). TÜİK, the national statistics office, publishes this rate every month. The temporary 25% cap ended in July 2024, so the CPI average is the limit again.

• Existing tenant: the cap applies at every renewal, even if market rents rise faster.
• New tenant: with a new lease, you can agree a new rent at market level.
• After five years: the rent can be reset to market level, by agreement or through a court case.

Plan your income with these limits in mind. Do not assume you can raise the rent to the advertised market rate each year. Our Istanbul rental yields report gives realistic numbers.

Receiving Rent: Bank Transfer Only

Since October 2024, all residential rent must be paid through a bank or the post office (PTT), whatever the amount. Cash payments can lead to tax fines for both the owner and the tenant. Bank records also protect you if there is ever a dispute about unpaid rent.

Ending a Lease and Eviction

The Tenant Can Leave Easily, the Owner Cannot

The tenant can leave at the end of the term by giving at least 15 days' written notice. If they do not, the lease renews for another year. The owner cannot end the lease just because the term is over. Only after a ten-year extension period can the owner end it without giving a reason, with three months' notice. See the Turkish Code of Obligations, Article 347.

Legal Reasons to End a Lease

• Your own need: you, your spouse, children, parents or other dependants need the home to live in. If you evict for this reason, you cannot rent it to someone else for three years without a valid reason.
• A written promise to leave: a tenant's eviction undertaking (tahliye taahhütnamesi) can be enforced. It must be signed after the tenant moved in, not with the lease.
• Two justified warnings: if you have to send two written warnings for unpaid rent in one lease year, you can apply for eviction.
• Unpaid rent: after a written notice and the legal waiting period, unpaid rent can end the lease.

Deadlines are short and strict. A missed date can cost you a full year. Let a lawyer send the notices.

Mediation Comes First

Most rental disputes must go to a mediator before court. This includes rent and eviction disputes, with some exceptions for enforcement cases. Mediation is often faster and cheaper than court. See the Mediation Law, Article 18/B.

Tax on Rental Income

Rental income from a Turkish property is taxable in Turkey, even if you live abroad. The main points for 2026:

• Residential rent up to 58,000 TL a year is exempt, under certain conditions.
• You declare the rest between 1 and 31 March of the next year.
• The tax is paid in two instalments, in March and July.
• You can deduct a flat 15% for expenses, or your real, documented expenses.

Your home country may also tax this income. Ask us to check your case before the first March deadline.

Managing Your Rental From Abroad

Many foreign owners never meet their tenant. That works well with the right setup:

• A property manager: finds tenants, collects rent, handles repairs and checks the home.
• A specific power of attorney: lets your representative sign the lease, go to the notary and deal with the utility companies. Limit it to rental tasks only.
• Regular checks: ask for a short video tour of the home once or twice a year, with the tenant's agreement.
• Records: keep the lease, bank statements and messages in one folder. You will need them for tax and for any dispute.

Common Mistakes Foreign Landlords Make

• Accepting rent in cash.
• Expecting to raise the rent to market level every year.
• Expecting to end the lease at the end of the term without a legal reason.
• Skipping the inventory list and move-in photos.
• Forgetting to declare rental income in March.
• Renting short-term without a permit.

Planning to sell later? If you sell a tenanted home, the lease passes to the buyer. Read what buyers check in a tenanted apartment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a foreigner rent out property in Turkey?

Yes. Foreign owners have the same right to rent out their property as Turkish owners. The same rental laws and tax rules apply.

How much can I increase the rent in Turkey in 2026?

At renewal, the increase cannot be higher than the 12-month average CPI change published by TÜİK. With a new tenant, you can agree a new market rent.

Can I evict a tenant when the lease ends?

No, not just because the term ended. You need a legal reason, such as your own need for the home or a valid written promise to leave.

Rent Out Your Property With SimplyTR

Thinking of renting out your home in Turkey? SimplyTR can review your lease, explain the rent and eviction rules for your case and help you for tax and day-to-day management.

Book a free consultation. We'll check your case →

This guide is for general information and is not legal or tax advice. Rules can change. Contact SimplyTR to check the details of your rental.