Practice areas

Tenancy, rent and eviction in Bodrum

Landlords and tenants in Bodrum, including owners living abroad, can seek advice in English on leases, unpaid rent, notices, eviction and mediation.

A tenancy review begins with the nature of the premises and the parties’ obligations. Residential premises, roofed commercial premises and other forms of use may be subject to different rules and procedures. In Bodrum, a lease for continuing occupation and an arrangement involving short stays or tourism use also need to be assessed in their own context.

Before signing a lease

The rent and payment arrangements, permitted use, handover conditions, security deposit, allocation of expenses and addresses for notices are reviewed together. A clear inventory, a record of the condition on delivery and properly identified annexes help assess potential evidential issues. If a written undertaking to vacate is proposed, its circumstances, date, wording and validity require separate consideration.

Rent and payment disputes

Determining rent, interpreting an increase clause, seeking an adjustment and recovering unpaid rent are different legal questions. The starting date and duration of the lease, payment history, correspondence and the period covered by the claim need to be established. These facts inform the legal basis, any notices required, the evidence available and the appropriate procedure. Outdated percentages or advertised rental prices alone do not provide a reliable conclusion.

Expiry and eviction

Under Article 347 of the Turkish Code of Obligations, expiry of the agreed term alone does not entitle a landlord to terminate a lease of residential or roofed commercial premises. A claim based on personal need, an undertaking to vacate, non-payment or another ground requires an assessment of the conditions relevant to that ground. Notice and filing dates must be considered alongside the type of lease and the documents in the particular matter.

Mediation and the appropriate procedure

Article 18/B of Law No. 6325 requires an application to mediation before bringing a court action arising from a tenancy relationship. The statutory provisions concerning eviction through enforcement without a judgment under Law No. 2004 are an exception. The nature of the claim and the intended procedure should therefore be checked before assuming that every tenancy matter follows the same sequence.

For landlords, including owners living abroad

The first questions are what outcome is sought and which facts support it: payment of arrears, review of the rent, return of the premises or resolution of a disagreement about use or condition. A demand for payment and a demand for eviction are not interchangeable. The lease, payment history and notices already sent should be considered before another notice or proceeding is chosen.

An owner managing a Bodrum property from abroad should also establish who is authorised to communicate with the tenant, receive notices and take legal steps. Instructions to an agent or property manager do not automatically establish every power needed for litigation or settlement. Existing correspondence and service records should be retained, with the dates on which documents were received.

For tenants

A tenant facing an increase, notice or demand to leave needs to understand the legal basis of the request. The written lease, start date, renewal history and evidence of payment are reviewed together. For residential and roofed commercial premises, Article 347 does not allow the landlord to terminate simply because the agreed term has expired. Other grounds must be assessed on their own conditions and evidence.

Deposit, handover and alleged damage disputes also depend on the agreement and the records of the property’s condition. If a document has been formally served, identifying its contents and receipt date takes priority over informal negotiations. Relevant time limits should be assessed from the particular document and procedure.

A residential lease is different from a holiday let

A long-term tenancy and an arrangement for short stays should not be treated as the same transaction. Before relying on an agreement described as a holiday rental, its actual purpose, duration and the applicable regulatory requirements need to be examined. The separate tourism rentals article addresses that context.

Documents for the initial review

The lease and annexes, bank payment records, handover report, any undertaking to vacate, formal notices, documents served and previous mediation records are considered together. A dated account of oral discussions and preservation of existing correspondence can help establish the sequence of events. Where a document has been formally served, the date of receipt should be identified.

Discuss your matter in English

For an initial enquiry, briefly describe the matter and the outcome you are seeking. Please avoid sending sensitive documents until the office confirms what is needed. Email the office in English or call +90 532 292 26 38.