Short answer
If your tenant is not paying rent in Turkey, you can start eviction through the enforcement office with a payment order that gives the tenant 30 days to pay, or send a 30-day written notice and then sue. From abroad, you usually act through a lawyer holding your power of attorney.
In this article
A tenant not paying rent in Turkey is a common problem for owners who have moved back home or bought a flat as an investment. Being abroad does not weaken your rights, but it changes the practical side: notices, deadlines and hearings are handled in Türkiye (Turkey), usually by a lawyer acting for you.
Turkish law gives landlords three routes. Choosing the right one early can save a lot of time. For the broader rules on leases and property, see the real estate law overview.
What can a landlord do when a tenant stops paying rent?
| Route | How it starts | Key periods | Mediation first? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eviction through the enforcement office | Payment order with an eviction warning from the enforcement office (icra dairesi) | 7 days to object; at least 30 days to pay; apply for eviction within 6 months after the payment period | No |
| Notice and eviction lawsuit | Written notice giving at least 30 days to pay, warning that the lease will be terminated (TBK Art. 315) | Lawsuit at the civil court of peace (sulh hukuk mahkemesi) after the period expires | Yes |
| Two justified notices | Two written warnings for unpaid rent within one lease year (TBK Art. 352/2) | Lawsuit within one month after the end of that lease year | Yes |
Whatever the route, do not take matters into your own hands. Changing the locks, removing the tenant's belongings or cutting utilities is unlawful and can expose you to criminal complaints and damages claims, even if the tenant owes you money.
How does eviction through the enforcement office work?
This is usually the fastest route, and it does not require mediation (Mediation Law, Art. 18/B). It is based on Article 269 and following of the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law (İcra ve İflas Kanunu).
Eviction for unpaid rent via the enforcement office
Prepare the evidence
Collect the lease, the tenant's identity details and bank statements showing the unpaid months.
File the enforcement request
Your lawyer asks the enforcement office to send a payment order that includes the unpaid rent and an eviction warning.
Tenant's 7-day objection period
The tenant may object within seven days of service. If the tenant denies the lease, a notarised lease helps you ask the enforcement court to lift the objection.
Tenant's 30-day payment period
For homes and covered business premises, the tenant has at least 30 days to pay (TBK Art. 315).
Apply for the eviction order
If the tenant neither objects nor pays, the enforcement court orders eviction on your request made within six months after the payment period ends (İİK Art. 269/a).
Enforce the order
The eviction order can be enforced ten days after it is served, without waiting for it to become final (İİK Art. 269/c).
If the tenant objects, the proceeding stops. You must ask the enforcement court to lift the objection within six months of being notified of it; otherwise you can no longer use this route for the same debt (İİK Art. 269). A tenant who claims to have paid must prove it with a notarised document, an official receipt or a document you have acknowledged (İİK Art. 269/c).
If the tenant pays all the arrears within the payment period, eviction on this ground is no longer possible for that debt. A tenant who keeps paying only at the last moment, however, may give you grounds for the two-notice route described below.
When is a notice and lawsuit the better choice?
The court route suits cases where the facts are disputed or where you also want to end the lease for other reasons. Under Article 315 of the Turkish Code of Obligations, the notice must be in writing and give the tenant at least 30 days, starting the day after it is served. Landlords usually send it through a notary (ihtarname) so that service can be proved.
Before suing, you must apply to a mediator, because disputes arising from a lease are subject to mandatory mediation; the process lasts up to three weeks, extendable by one week. The two-notice route under Article 352 is useful against tenants who pay late again and again: after two justified written warnings in the same lease year, you can sue within one month after that lease year ends.
How can you manage the case from abroad?
- Power of attorney for a lawyer: sign it at a Turkish consulate, or before a local notary with an apostille. Under Code of Civil Procedure, Art. 74, settling, applying to mediation or other alternative dispute resolution and waiving claims require express authority. Ask for these powers to be written in, together with authority to receive the money collected from the tenant.
- A Turkish address for service: use your lawyer's office so that notices and court papers do not get lost abroad.
- Decisions at a distance: agree in advance how your lawyer will reach you for settlement offers or mediation proposals, since deadlines in Türkiye do not wait for time zones.
- Records: keep the lease, rent receipts, messages with the tenant and photos of the property's condition.
- Deposit: a security deposit on a home may not exceed three months' rent and must be held in a bank account (TBK Art. 342). Tell the bank in writing within three months after the lease ends if you have started proceedings, otherwise the tenant can ask for the deposit back.
Unpaid rent can be claimed in the same enforcement proceeding, and a guarantor who signed the lease may also be liable. For your specific situation, individual legal advice is recommended.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to evict a tenant in Turkey?
There is no fixed answer. The law sets minimum periods: seven days for the tenant to object and at least 30 days to pay after a payment order or written notice. If the tenant does not react, the enforcement court can order eviction soon after. If the tenant objects or the case goes to court, it takes longer and depends on the court's workload.
Is mediation required before evicting a tenant in Turkey?
It depends on the route. Before an eviction lawsuit based on a lease, mediation is mandatory under Article 18/B of the Mediation Law. Eviction through the enforcement office for unpaid rent is expressly excluded, so you can start it without a mediator. Your lawyer's power of attorney should include express authority for mediation.
Can I change the locks if my tenant in Turkey does not pay?
No. Even when the tenant owes rent, only the enforcement office or a court can remove a tenant. Changing locks, entering the flat, removing belongings or cutting water and electricity can lead to criminal complaints and claims for damages against you. Use the legal routes instead; the enforcement office procedure is designed to be relatively quick.
Can I start eviction proceedings in Turkey without travelling there?
Yes. A lawyer in Türkiye can file the enforcement request or the lawsuit on the basis of your power of attorney, which you can sign at a Turkish consulate or before a local notary with an apostille. You do not normally need to attend in person, but you must send the original documents and keep in touch with your lawyer.
What happens to the tenant's deposit in Turkey?
For homes, the deposit may not exceed three months' rent, and cash deposits must be held in a bank savings account. The bank releases it only with both parties' consent, a final enforcement proceeding or a final court decision. If you do not notify the bank of proceedings within three months after the lease ends, the tenant can reclaim it.
Sources
- Legislation Turkish Code of Obligations No. 6098 (Türk Borçlar Kanunu), Art. 147, 315, 342, 352
- Legislation Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law No. 2004 (İcra ve İflas Kanunu), Art. 269–269/d
- Legislation Mediation in Civil Disputes Law No. 6325, Art. 18/B
- Legislation Code of Civil Procedure No. 6100 (Hukuk Muhakemeleri Kanunu), Art. 74