Tenant & Squatter Eviction in Turkey

Lawyers for owners who need a tenant or an unauthorised occupant out of a property in Turkey, explaining eviction (tahliye) through mediation, the enforcement office or the court, and how a tenant case differs from a squatter case.
lawyers in Turkey
5
cases in this service
9
clients' rating in Turkey
4.98 ★

About Tenant & Squatter Eviction in Turkey

In Turkey a landlord cannot simply change the locks: getting people out of a property goes through mediation, the enforcement office or the courts. This page covers tenant and squatter eviction in Turkey: evicting a tenant, a tenant not paying rent, a tenant who stays after the lease ends, squatters and other unauthorised occupants. In Turkish the word is tahliye, and the lawsuit is a kiracı tahliye davası. It is for owners and landlords, including foreign owners living abroad. English-speaking lawyers registered in Turkey can explain the route and act for the owner. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “Eviction Services”.

Tenants: the usual routes

  • Unpaid rent. After a formal demand, often sent through a notary (ihtarname), the owner can start proceedings at the enforcement office (icra dairesi) for the rent and the eviction, or go to court.
  • Written undertaking to leave. A tahliye taahhütnamesi is a tenant's signed promise to vacate on a set date. It can be enforced, but only if it meets strict conditions.
  • Other grounds, such as the owner's own need for the home, go to court, as a rule after mandatory mediation (arabuluculuk).

Squatters and unauthorised occupants

A person with no lease is not a tenant. Besides a court action to stop the interference (el atmanın önlenmesi) and to claim compensation for the use (ecrimisil), Turkish law offers an administrative route through the district governor that protects the owner's possession. Which route fits depends on the facts and on timing.

Points to watch

Cutting off water or power, or removing belongings, can expose the owner to liability. The papers count: the lease, rent records, notices and the tapu. Court cases can be slow, which is why the choice of route matters. Related pages: landlord and tenant disputes, debt collection and power of attorney.

What a lawyer does

A lawyer reviews the documents, sends the formal notice, represents the owner in mediation, files at the enforcement office or the court, and follows the eviction through to the handover of the keys.

Questions and answers

Can I change the locks myself?

No. Removing a tenant or an occupant on one's own can lead to claims against the owner. Eviction goes through official routes.

Is mediation needed before an eviction case?

For most rental disputes, mediation now comes before a lawsuit. Eviction through the enforcement office for unpaid rent follows its own rules. A lawyer confirms which applies.

What is a tahliye taahhütnamesi?

A written undertaking in which the tenant agrees to leave on a set date. Whether it holds depends on when and how it was signed.

How is removing squatters different?

Squatters have no contract, so the rent rules do not apply. The administrative protection of possession and court actions about the property are used instead.

Do I have to be in Turkey?

No. A lawyer can act for an owner abroad under a power of attorney.

5 lawyers who provide Tenant & Squatter Eviction in Turkey

Sorted by experience in this service. Write to any of them — the reply comes from the lawyer, without obligation.

  • Yasin, lawyer in Istanbul

    Yasin

    Lawyer · Istanbul, Turkey

    • 187 cases handled · 4 in this service
    • 4+ years in practice
    • Speaks: English, Turkish
    • Law, Yeditepe University Faculty of Law
    • 5.00(6 reviews)
    Contact Yasin
  • Cansu, lawyer in Izmir

    Cansu

    Lawyer · Izmir, Turkey

    • 209 cases handled · 2 in this service
    • 13+ years in practice
    • Speaks: English, Turkish
    • Law, Yeditepe University
    • 4.96(9 reviews)
    Contact Cansu
  • Gamze, lawyer in Bodrum

    Gamze

    Lawyer · Bodrum, Turkey

    • 123 cases handled · 2 in this service
    • 14+ years in practice
    • Speaks: Turkish, English
    • Law, Yeditepe University
    • 4.94(4 reviews)
    Contact Gamze
  • Sadi Berk, lawyer in Kusadasi

    Sadi Berk

    Lawyer · Kusadasi, Turkey

    • 80 cases handled · 1 in this service
    • 15+ years in practice
    • Speaks: English, Turkish
    • Law, Marmara University
    • 5.00(6 reviews)
    Contact Sadi Berk
  • Mert, lawyer in Antalya

    Mert

    Lawyer · Antalya, Turkey

    • 43 cases handled
    • 11+ years in practice
    • Speaks: English, Turkish
    • Bachelors of Law, Ankara University
    Contact Mert
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  • In our first meeting the lawyer walked me through the whole process and the options open to us as her clients. She understood the goals I wanted to achieve, then presented her plans and recommendations along with the costs of the legal help, which shows how well she knows her field. As the proceedings went on, her assistants regularly gave me updates, which I think is the key to a good relationship between lawyer and client. Her English was flawless too. All in all, I am glad I found her through this service, and I recommend her to anyone who needs legal help with property disputes.
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    — Colin
    11 Mar 2024
    Tenant & Squatter Eviction
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    21 Apr 2023
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    27 Jun 2022
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    27 Jun 2022
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    05 Jul 2021
  • The replies were kind and fast and the advice was good. If I ever need legal advice again, I will certainly contact him. I am pleased with every contact I have had, and very satisfied overall.
    — Susanne
    25 Mar 2021
  • The lawyer was extremely helpful, and no request was too much trouble. He is very friendly as well, and his manner puts you at ease at once. I would use him again, and my sister is also a client of his. Anyone looking for a lawyer fluent in English and Spanish (and Italian) who handles legal matters professionally and without delay should get in touch with him, and I strongly recommend doing so.
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    28 Oct 2020
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    18 Sep 2020
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