Buying an Apartment for Rental Income in Turkey
Buying an Apartment for Rental Income in Turkey
Buying an apartment to rent out in Türkiye often appears to be a simple investment strategy: purchase a property, find a tenant, and collect rental income.
In reality, success depends on far more than the purchase price and neighborhood.
The most important question is how the property will be rented.
Different rules apply to:
Long-term rentals
Short-term rentals
and the regulations for short-term rentals are significantly stricter.
A common mistake is calculating future returns based solely on promises from a seller or agent.
Statements such as:
"This apartment is easy to rent on Airbnb."
prove nothing.
A building may not legally qualify for tourist rentals, and a specific apartment may not be eligible for the required permit.
These checks must be completed before purchasing the property, not after the title deed (Tapu) has been transferred.
The Importance of Location
The same apartment can perform very differently depending on its location.
Long-Term Rental Priorities
Long-term tenants usually focus on:
Schools
Public transportation
Shops
Hospitals
Parking
Everyday convenience
Short-Term Rental Priorities
Tourists tend to focus on:
Proximity to the sea
Beaches
Tourist areas
Attractions
Airport accessibility
However, a tourist location alone does not guarantee strong returns.
A property may perform well during summer but remain vacant during winter.
Residential neighborhoods often show the opposite pattern:
Lower daily rental rates
More stable year-round occupancy
Before purchasing, investors should study actual listings rather than projected returns.
Questions to consider include:
How many similar apartments are already available?
What are they charging?
How long do they remain advertised?
How much competition exists?
If dozens of identical apartments are competing in the same area, rental prices will be determined by market conditions rather than sales promises.
Short-Term Rentals
A short-term rental is defined as accommodation rented for:
100 days or less under a single contract.
This includes:
Daily rentals
Weekly rentals
Monthly rentals
Airbnb listings
Agency-managed holiday rentals
Social media advertisements
Property management platforms
Such properties are legally classified as tourist accommodation.
Without official authorization, they cannot be rented legally.
The Key Legal Question
For buyers intending to operate tourist rentals, the apartment and building must both be evaluated.
For a standard apartment in a residential building, the critical issue is owner approval.
In most cases, tourist rental authorization requires:
Unanimous approval from all owners of independent units within the building.
This does not mean:
Verbal approval from a building manager
Informal agreement from a committee chairman
An agent saying, “Everyone does it”
If even one owner objects, or if documentation is incomplete, permission may be denied.
As a result, an apartment can have:
Excellent location
Modern renovation
Beautiful views
yet still be unsuitable for legal short-term rental operations.
In that case, projected Airbnb-style income disappears, and the property becomes suitable only for:
Long-term rentals
Personal use
Tourist Rental Permit
Properties rented for 100 days or less require a:
Turizm Amaçlı Konut Kiralama İzin Belgesi
(Tourism-Oriented Residential Rental Permit)
The permit applies to a specific property.
Applications are submitted through:
e-Devlet
within the Ministry of Culture and Tourism system.
Paper applications are not accepted.
Foreign owners without e-Devlet access can apply through an authorized representative with a notarized power of attorney.
Applications are reviewed by:
Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism
for the province where the property is located.
Certain residence-style projects and special-status developments may be reviewed directly by specialized departments within the Ministry.
Required Documents
For a standard apartment, applicants generally need:
Passport
Turkish tax number or foreign identification number
Current Tapu record
Ownership documents
e-Devlet application
Additional documents may include:
Co-owner consents
Power of attorney (if applicable)
For apartments in residential buildings, the most important document is:
A notarized unanimous decision from all independent unit owners in the building.
Without this, approval is generally not granted.
Additional Ownership Restrictions
If one owner controls several apartments within the same block:
Multiple apartments may be submitted together
However:
Each apartment requires its own permit plaque.
Special restrictions apply when:
More than five apartments are rented within the same building
One owner controls more than 25% of apartments in a block
Additional business licenses may then become necessary.
Permit Costs in 2026
Submitting the application itself is free.
However, permit issuance requires payment of:
Permit Fee
10,000 TL
Official Plaque Fee
10,000 TL
Total
20,000 TL per property
The exact amount displayed in e-Devlet should always be considered authoritative at the time of application.
The Required Plaque
Once approved, the owner receives:
Turizm Amaçlı Konut Plaque
This must be displayed at the entrance.
The plaque includes:
Permit number
Property address
Issue date
Permit holder information
It is not a marketing sign.
It is a legal requirement.
Without it, the property may appear non-compliant even if part of the process has already been completed.
Minimum Property Standards
Tourist rental apartments must meet minimum requirements.
These include:
Sleeping accommodations
Bathroom and toilet
Living area
Kitchen
Hot and cold water
Functional furniture
Bedding
Towels
Pillows
Safety requirements include:
Fire extinguisher
Smoke detectors
Emergency exit information
Smoke detectors are required in all separate rooms except:
Bathrooms
Toilets
Occupancy Limits
Occupancy is generally calculated as:
Two guests per bedroom
Plus two additional guests outside bedrooms
Maximum occupancy:
12 people
excluding children under three years old.
Advertising more guests than legally permitted may create compliance issues during inspections.
Ongoing Obligations
After obtaining the permit, owners must maintain the property in the condition approved during inspection.
Requirements include:
Cleaning after each guest
Maintenance records
Guest information management
Compliance with privacy regulations
Compliance with guest registration rules
Guest information must be reported according to:
Kimlik Bildirme Kanunu
(Identity Notification Law)
Penalties for Illegal Tourist Rentals
Operating a tourist rental without authorization is extremely risky.
2026 Penalties
First violation:
180,617 TL
Continued operation after warning:
903,088 TL
Repeated violation:
1,806,177 TL
per apartment.
A single inspection can eliminate years of projected rental profits.
This is particularly dangerous for investors who:
Purchased using financing
Relied on Airbnb income projections
Delegated operations to third-party managers
Long-Term Rentals
Long-term rentals involve a tenant occupying the property for:
More than 100 days under a single contract.
Examples include:
Annual leases
Multi-month residential agreements
No tourist rental permit is required.
The process is considerably simpler.
Long-Term Rental Documentation
Long-term rentals are governed by a written lease agreement.
A standard residential lease generally does not require notarization.
However, some parties choose notarization for additional legal certainty.
Lease agreements may also be created through:
e-Devlet – Kira Sözleşmesi İşlemleri
The landlord creates the agreement and the tenant confirms it electronically.
A lease should include:
Landlord information
Tenant information
Property address
Rental term
Rent amount
Deposit
Payment method
Additional clauses usually cover:
Maintenance fees (Aidat)
Utilities
Internet
Termination conditions
Furnished Apartments
For furnished properties, owners should prepare a detailed inventory.
Instead of writing:
"Fully furnished apartment"
the inventory should list:
Air conditioners
Refrigerator
Washing machine
Stove
Beds
Wardrobes
Sofas
Curtains
and other items expected to remain in the property.
Handover Report
At move-in, both parties should sign a handover report.
This document records:
Apartment condition
Utility meter readings
Number of keys
Furniture condition
Appliance condition
Photographs are highly recommended.
This is especially important for foreign owners who may not be present when the tenant moves out.
Utility Accounts
Whenever possible, utility subscriptions should be transferred into the tenant's name.
This helps prevent unpaid balances from remaining attached to the owner.
If utilities remain under the owner's name, the lease should specify:
Payment deadlines
Proof-of-payment requirements
Otherwise, the owner may discover unpaid bills after the tenant leaves.
Rental Payments
Rental payments in Türkiye must be made through:
Banks
PTT
Cash rental payments are prohibited.
This applies to:
Long-term rentals
Short-term rentals
Foreign owners should pay particular attention to this requirement.
If payments are collected by:
Agents
Property managers
Representatives
their authority should be properly documented.
Payments must still move through official channels.
Penalties
In 2026, payments made outside banking channels may result in:
Minimum fine: 8,700 TL
Or 10% of the transaction amount if greater
Maintenance Fees (Aidat)
Before purchasing, investors should carefully review:
Aidat
Monthly maintenance fees can be significant in Turkish residential complexes.
Facilities that increase costs may include:
Swimming pools
Security services
Elevators
Generators
Gardens
Hammams
Fitness centers
These amenities may appeal to buyers but do not always increase rental income proportionally.
Owners remain responsible for maintenance fees even during vacancy periods.
Questions to ask:
Current aidat amount
Outstanding debts
Planned building repairs
Frequency of fee increases
Unexpected building expenses can arise after purchase.
Property Management Companies
Many foreign investors choose professional management.
Managers may handle:
Marketing
Tenant screening
Cleaning
Maintenance
Reporting
Problems typically occur when relationships rely on verbal agreements rather than written contracts.
Management agreements should clearly define:
Authority
Commission rates
Reporting procedures
Access to financial records
For short-term rentals, responsibilities should also specify:
Guest registration
Advertisement management
Liability for fines
Mortgages and Financing Risks
When purchasing with:
Mortgages
Installment plans
rental income should be evaluated conservatively.
Rent does not always cover financing obligations.
Even when it does initially, expenses may increase later.
Foreign investors face additional currency risk.
Rental income is typically received in Turkish lira, while obligations may be:
USD-based
EUR-based
Currency-linked
Exchange-rate movements can significantly affect profitability.
Investors should account for:
Vacancy periods
Repairs
Taxes
Aidat
Management fees
Without these allowances, a property may become a financial burden rather than an investment.
Taxes
Rental income in Türkiye is taxed as real estate income.
This applies to foreign owners when income originates from Turkish property.
Receiving rent through an intermediary or foreign account does not change its tax treatment.
Tax-Free Threshold
For 2026:
58,000 TL annually
If residential rental income remains below this threshold, a declaration is generally not required.
Above the threshold, income must be declared.
Declarations may be submitted through:
Hazır Beyan
Accountants
Required documentation generally includes:
Lease agreements
Bank records
Expense documentation
Property information
If a management company is involved, its reports should match bank records.
Currency Payments
When rent is paid in foreign currency, income is converted into Turkish lira using the Central Bank's purchase rate on the date payment is received.
Advance payments covering multiple years may need to be allocated across the years to which the rent actually relates.
Tax Planning for Short-Term Rentals
Short-term rental taxation can become more complex.
The tax treatment may differ depending on whether operations are conducted by:
An individual
A company
A management operator
The distinction between ordinary rental activity and accommodation services can be important.
Investors should discuss their structure with an accountant before launching operations rather than after receiving a tax inquiry.
Calculating Real Profitability
Rental profitability should never be based solely on rental rates.
Expenses commonly include:
Taxes
Aidat
Repairs
Appliance maintenance
Furniture replacement
Vacancy periods
Agency commissions
Management fees
Short-term rentals add:
Cleaning costs
Consumables
Guest turnover expenses
Daily rental rates often appear attractive, but actual profit after expenses may be much lower than expected.
Conclusion
A rental property in Türkiye should be viewed not only as real estate but as an operating business model.
Long-Term Rentals
Key priorities:
Lease agreements
Official payments
Deposits
Property condition
Maintenance fees
Tax compliance
Short-Term Rentals
The order is different:
Verify legal eligibility.
Confirm building compliance.
Obtain permits.
Then calculate profitability.
If a property does not qualify legally for tourist rentals, it should never be valued using Airbnb-style projections.
In that situation, it should be analyzed purely as a long-term rental investment.
That approach may sound less exciting in marketing materials, but it is far more realistic when evaluating both profit potential and risk.
