Short answer
Aidat in Turkey is your share of the common costs of a building or holiday complex under the Condominium Law, based on a budget approved by the owners' meeting. Unpaid aidat carries 5% monthly late-payment compensation, and unlawful decisions can be challenged at the civil court of peace within one month.
In this article
For foreign owners, aidat in Turkey is often the first real dispute: the monthly site fee rises sharply, the pool is closed, or a decision is taken while you are abroad. In Türkiye (Turkey), the rules are set by the Condominium Law No. 634 (Kat Mülkiyeti Kanunu, KMK), which was amended in May 2026 on budgets and large complexes.
This guide explains who decides on the fees, how they are shared and what you can do if you disagree. For related property matters, see the real estate law overview.
Who runs a holiday complex in Turkey?
The building is governed by the owners' assembly (kat malikleri kurulu), which meets at least once a year, or every two years in a collective structure (KMK, Art. 27 and 29). A manager (yönetici) is compulsory if there are eight or more units and is reappointed every year (Art. 34). The management plan (yönetim planı) binds all owners and their successors like a contract (Art. 28).
Holiday complexes (siteler) with several blocks are often organised as a "collective structure" (toplu yapı). Each block has its own assembly, and the whole complex is usually run by a board of block representatives under a single management plan (Art. 66–70). Since the 2026 amendment, changing that plan requires the votes of two-thirds of the units represented, and plan clauses that contradict this rule do not apply. A temporary management, often run by the developer, may last at most until one year after the complex is completed, and never more than ten years after the first building permit (Art. 73).
How is aidat calculated?
| Cost | Default sharing rule |
|---|---|
| Caretaker, heating operator, gardener and guard | Equal shares for each owner |
| Building insurance, maintenance, repairs, reinforcement, manager's fee, operating costs of shared facilities | In proportion to your land share (arsa payı) |
| A different rule agreed among the owners, for example in the management plan | The agreed rule applies |
You cannot refuse to pay by saying that you do not use the pool, the lift or the garden, or that you only stay in summer (Art. 20/1(c)); in a collective structure, the same applies even if a facility lies on another parcel (Art. 72).
The amount comes from the annual operating budget (işletme projesi). Under Article 37 as amended in 2026, the budget is approved at the owners' general meeting. If there is no approved budget, the manager prepares a temporary one that applies until the owners approve a budget, at the latest within three months. Where a budget already exists, the temporary budget may not exceed it by more than the previous year's revaluation rate. A finalised budget counts as a document that allows the manager to have an objection to enforcement lifted quickly (Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law, Art. 68).
Special projects follow different rules. Useful improvements to common areas need a majority of owners by number and land share, and their cost is borne by those who benefit (Art. 42). If an improvement is very costly or luxurious, an owner who does not want to use it does not have to contribute (Art. 43).
What happens if you do not pay aidat?
- Late-payment compensation: 5% per month for the days of delay (Art. 20).
- Enforcement or lawsuit: the manager or any other owner can start enforcement proceedings or sue (Art. 20 and 35).
- Tenants: if you let the flat, your tenant is jointly liable, up to the amount of rent the tenant owes you (Art. 22).
- Legal mortgage: if the debt cannot be collected, a legal mortgage (kanuni ipotek) can be registered on your unit for the amount determined by the court (Art. 22).
How can you challenge a site management decision?
An owner who attended and voted against a decision can file an annulment action at the civil court of peace (sulh hukuk mahkemesi) where the property is located within one month of the decision. An owner who did not attend has one month from learning of it, and in any case six months from the decision date (Art. 33). Decisions that are null and void can be challenged without a time limit.
You also have tools short of court: the manager must account for income and expenses every year, and half of the owners can demand the accounts at any time (Art. 39). The manager is liable to owners like an agent (Art. 38) and can be replaced for just cause (Art. 41). Before any lawsuit under the Condominium Law, mediation is mandatory; it lasts up to three weeks, extendable by one week (Mediation Law, Art. 18/B).
Handling an aidat dispute from abroad
Get the documents
Ask the manager in writing for the management plan, the approved budget, the decision book pages and the accounts.
Object in writing
State which items you dispute and why. Keep proof of sending, for example by email and registered post.
Vote by proxy
You may vote through a representative, but one person may not hold more than 5% of the votes; in buildings with 40 or fewer units, one person may represent at most two owners (Art. 31).
Mediation
If the dispute continues, apply to a mediator; your lawyer can attend for you with a suitable power of attorney.
Court within the deadline
If mediation fails, file the case at the civil court of peace, watching the one-month and six-month limits.
Pay undisputed amounts while you contest the rest: this limits late-payment compensation if the court upholds part of the budget. For your specific situation, individual legal advice is recommended.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay aidat if I only use my holiday apartment in summer?
Yes. Under Article 20 of the Condominium Law, an owner cannot avoid common costs by giving up the use of shared facilities or by arguing that they are not needed. Costs are shared by land share or equally, depending on the item, unless the management plan says otherwise. Seasonal use does not reduce your share.
What is the late payment penalty for aidat in Turkey?
An owner who does not pay the aidat or the advance on time owes late-payment compensation of 5% per month for the days of delay, under Article 20 of the Condominium Law, as of 29.09.2026. The manager or any owner can also start enforcement proceedings, and a legal mortgage can ultimately be registered on the unit.
How do I challenge a site management decision in Turkey?
File an annulment action at the civil court of peace where the property is. If you attended and voted against, the deadline is one month from the decision; if you were absent, one month from learning of it and at most six months from the decision. Mediation is required first, and void decisions have no deadline.
Can the developer keep managing our site for years?
Only for a limited time. The management plan of a collective structure may provide for temporary management until the representatives' board is formed, but it may last at most until one year after completion of the complex and never more than ten years after the first building permit (Article 73 of the Condominium Law).
Can unpaid aidat lead to a lien on my apartment?
Yes. If the debt cannot be collected otherwise, the manager or an owner can have a legal mortgage registered on your unit in favour of the other owners for the amount determined by the court (Article 22). The claim also has priority. Settling or disputing the debt early helps avoid this.