Property Management Services for Investors

What are the obligations of a landlord in Turkey?

Income from renting out property in Turkey is subject to income tax under Turkish law, regardless of the owner's place of residence or nationality. Even a foreign owner who lives outside Turkey and rarely visits is, for tax purposes, considered a "limited taxpayer," and is required to declare the rental income earned from a property inside Turkey whenever that income exceeds the annual exemption threshold set each year by the Turkish Revenue Administration. This obligation exists by law regardless of whether the owner is present in Turkey or not.

Alongside the tax obligation, if the property is part of a shared building or residential complex, Condominium Ownership Law No. 634 imposes on every unit owner, regardless of their nationality or place of residence, a set of obligations toward the shared building's management and expenses — obligations that don't depend on the owner's personal attendance or consent to every decision.

Important points to know

• Shared buildings are managed under Condominium Ownership Law No. 634, which regulates the owners' assembly meetings and its decisions on shared expenses, maintenance work, and management
• Decisions issued by the owners' assembly at its official meetings are, under this law, binding on all owners, including those who did not attend the meeting or disagreed with the decision, and they create financial obligations that each owner bears according to their share
• Rental income earned from a property inside Turkey is subject to an annual tax declaration before the Turkish Revenue Administration whenever it exceeds the announced exemption threshold, whether the owner resides in Turkey or abroad
• The relationship with the tenant is governed by the Turkish legal framework regulating rental contracts and the rights and obligations of both parties

Risks of managing a property remotely without specialized follow-up

When a property is managed from abroad without on-the-ground follow-up in Turkey, several practical risks arise. Chief among them is missing the annual tax declaration deadlines, which can lead to accountability before the Revenue Administration. An absent owner may also be unaware of decisions made by the owners' assembly in the shared building, even though these decisions are legally binding on them and impose financial obligations the moment they are issued, regardless of whether the owner knew about them or took part in the vote.

Another risk is problems accumulating with the tenant without follow-up, such as late payments or breaches of contract terms, with no one tracking the matter on the ground promptly. A lack of continuous follow-up also increases the likelihood of neglected maintenance or extended vacancy periods between tenants, which negatively affects the property's value and return over the long term.

Frequently asked questions

Must a foreign owner living outside Turkey declare the rental income they earn from their property in Turkey? Yes. Turkish tax law treats rental income from a property inside Turkey as taxable income regardless of the owner's place of residence or nationality, and once that income exceeds the annual exemption threshold announced by the Turkish Revenue Administration, declaring it becomes a statutory obligation.

Are shared maintenance expenses mandatory even if the owner didn't agree to the decision? Yes. Under Condominium Ownership Law No. 634, decisions issued by the building's owners' assembly at its official meetings are binding on all owners, including those who opposed the decision or did not attend the meeting, and they create financial obligations that each owner bears according to their share in the building.

Can another person legally receive the rent and handle the property's affairs on the owner's behalf? Yes, an owner can authorize a party or a person to handle their property's affairs and collect rent on their behalf through an official power of attorney, but this does not remove the owner's own status as the legally liable party before the tax authorities and the owners' assembly; legal responsibility remains with the owner, and the role of specialized follow-up is to ensure these obligations are carried out on time and correctly.

Last updated: 2026-09-07