Foreigners guide to Turkeys Consumer Arbitration Board is, in reality, a guide to something very practical: how a non-Turkish consumer can turn a bad purchase, a broken promise or an unfair contract into a binding, enforceable decision without immediately going to court.
Turkey’s Consumer Arbitration Boards (Tüketici Hakem Heyetleri) are low-cost, fast and relatively user-friendly bodies created under the consumer protection legislation to resolve everyday disputes. For foreigners living in Turkey, or even dealing with Turkish businesses online, they are often the first and sometimes mandatory step before litigation.
This article explains who can apply, how to file, what evidence to gather, and what outcomes to expect.
1. What is the Consumer Arbitration Board?
Consumer Arbitration Boards are official administrative bodies established in provinces and districts to resolve disputes that arise from consumer transactions—that is, goods and services purchased for personal, non-professional use.
In essence:
- They only deal with consumer vs trader disputes, not business-to-business conflicts.
- They are free of charge for the consumer; there is no court fee on filing.
- Their decisions are binding and can be enforced through enforcement offices much like a court judgment.
Every year, the upper monetary limit for their competence is updated. For 2025, disputes below 149,000 TL must be brought to a Consumer Arbitration Board; claims above that go directly to the specialised Consumer Court. For most daily problems—defective goods, misleading services, billing issues—this means the board is your primary forum.
2. Can foreigners use the Consumer Arbitration Board?
Yes. The law defines a consumer as a natural person acting for purposes outside trade or profession. It does not require Turkish citizenship.
That means:
- Foreigners with a residence permit living in Turkey can apply.
- Tourists who made a purchase while visiting Turkey (for example, electronics, furniture, a tour package) can also qualify.
- Foreigners who deal with Turkish e-commerce sites may have access, depending on the specific facts and connection with Turkey.
The crucial questions are:
- Are you acting as a consumer, not as a business?
- Is the other side a trader established in Turkey?
If yes, your nationality is not an obstacle.
3. Do you have to apply to the Board before going to court?
For disputes under the annual monetary threshold (149,000 TL in 2025), application to the Consumer Arbitration Board is mandatory. You cannot simply bypass it and go straight to court:
- If your claim amount is under the threshold, you must first file with the Board.
- If it is above the threshold, you may file directly with the Consumer Court.
If you file directly with the court while being under the limit, the court will typically reject the case on procedural grounds, telling you to go to the Board first.
In some situations, a consumer may choose to waive the portion of the claim above the limit so that the entire dispute can be dealt with by the Board. But once you waive, you cannot later claim that part in court.
4. Where and how can you apply?
4.1. Which Board is competent?
You may usually apply to:
- the Board in the place where you live, or
- the Board in the place where the transaction took place (for example, the city where you bought the product or received the service).
If there is no Board in that district, the local governor’s office accepts the application and forwards it to the correct Board.
4.2. Methods of application
Applications are always written. You can file:
- In person – by submitting a petition and copies of your evidence to the Board’s office.
- By post – sending your petition and supporting documents.
- Through a lawyer – your attorney can submit the file and follow the process.
- Electronically – via the national e-government portal using the Consumer Information System.
For foreigners:
- If you have a Turkish ID number (starting with 99) because you hold a residence permit, you can get an e-government password from the post office and apply online.
- If you are a tourist without such access, you can still apply in person, by post or via a lawyer, using your passport information.
The working language is Turkish, so petitions and official correspondence are handled in Turkish. A lawyer or translator is often very useful for clarity.
5. What evidence should you submit?
The Board decides mainly on the written file. Strong evidence often matters more than eloquent complaints.
Typical documents include:
- Invoice or receipt
- Bank or credit card slip showing payment
- Contract, order form or booking confirmation
- Screenshots of the website, online offer, price display or advertisement
- E-mails or messages exchanged with the company (for example, refund refusals, excuses, promises)
- Any expert opinion or repair report you already obtained
- A clear, chronological statement of what happened and what you are asking for
If the Board finds your file incomplete, it may ask you to provide missing documents within a short time (typically seven days). If you do not respond, it can decide on the basis of what it has.
For foreigners, one practical point: if your evidence includes documents in another language, it is wise to attach a Turkish translation, at least for key parts. This helps prevent misunderstandings and speeds up the process.
6. What happens after you file?
After your application is registered:
- The Board opens a file and assigns an internal rapporteur to examine it.
- The company is notified and asked to submit a written defence and its own documents within a specified period.
- The Board may request information from banks, courier companies, technical services or other public authorities.
- In some technical cases, it may seek an expert opinion.
By law, the Board should decide within six months from registration of your complaint; this can be extended once, usually by up to three additional months, in particularly complex cases.
Once the decision is made:
- It is notified to the parties electronically where possible, or
- It is sent by post to the addresses given in the file.
Whether you win or lose, the process remains free for the consumer. If experts are appointed or official notification costs arise, these are initially covered by the public budget; if the company loses, those amounts can later be recovered from it as public receivables.
7. What kinds of decisions can you expect?
The Board can:
- Accept your complaint fully
- For example, order a full refund, replacement of the product, repair at no cost, cancellation of an unfair clause, reversal of extra charges.
- Partially accept
- For instance, only part of the claim amount or only one of several requested remedies.
- Reject the complaint
- If you are not considered a consumer, the trader is not subject to Turkish jurisdiction, the dispute exceeds the monetary limit, or your evidence is insufficient.
The key point: decisions of the Consumer Arbitration Board are binding on both sides. If the company does not voluntarily comply, you can take the decision to the enforcement office and start enforcement as if you had won a court judgment.
8. Can the decision be challenged?
Yes. Both the consumer and the company may appeal the Board’s decision to the Consumer Court within a short legal time limit (typically 15 days from notification).
In court:
- The judge re-examines the dispute; it is not merely a procedural review.
- The court may uphold, partially amend or completely overturn the Board’s decision.
- Enforcement of the Board’s decision does not automatically stop; the company (or the consumer) may ask the court to stay enforcement until judgment.
Appealing is more formal and is usually handled with the help of a lawyer, particularly for foreigners unfamiliar with Turkish civil procedure.
9. Practical tips for foreigners using the Board
To turn this guide into something you can use tomorrow:
- Calculate your claim in Turkish lira. The threshold is in TL; if your contract or invoice is in EUR or USD, convert it at the approximate rate at the time of the transaction to see whether you belong before the Board or in court.
- Try a written complaint first. Many companies settle once they see a clear, polite but firm complaint accompanied by evidence. Attach the invoice, explain what you want (refund, repair, replacement).
- Keep every document and screenshot. Verbal promises over the phone are hard to prove; e-mail and messages are not.
- Be precise in your requests. Ask specifically for what you want: full refund, price reduction, free repair, cancellation of an unfair clause, default interest if appropriate. The Board cannot grant more than you request.
- Consider using a lawyer for complex or high-value disputes. Especially where technical goods, foreign elements or large sums are involved, legal representation can greatly increase your chances of success and help with an eventual appeal.
- Plan for enforcement. If you do not live in Turkey, think ahead about who will follow up on enforcing the decision. A local lawyer or authorised representative is often the most practical option.
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