Under What Conditions Can a Foreign Tenant Be Evicted from a Home in Türkiye?

Foreign nationals renting residential property in Türkiye are sometimes told that they have fewer tenancy rights than Turkish citizens.

A landlord may say:

“Your one-year lease has expired, so you must leave.”

Another may claim:

“I sold the apartment, so you have to move out immediately.”

A foreign tenant may also be told:

“You need this address for your residence permit. If you do not accept my new rent, I will remove you from the house.”

These statements are often legally incomplete or simply incorrect.

A foreign national renting a residential property in Türkiye is generally protected by the mandatory provisions of the Turkish Code of Obligations No. 6098 governing residential and roofed workplace leases. Turkish tenancy legislation does not provide a special rule under which a landlord may evict a residential tenant merely because the tenant is a foreign citizen.

Nationality itself is not a statutory ground for eviction.

Likewise, the expiration of the initial one-year lease period does not ordinarily allow the landlord to terminate the tenancy simply because the contract date has ended.

Article 347 of the Turkish Code of Obligations provides that where the tenant does not give notice at least fifteen days before the end of a fixed-term residential lease, the agreement is generally extended for another year under the same conditions. The landlord cannot terminate the tenancy merely by relying on expiration of the initial contractual term.

However, this does not mean that a tenant can never be evicted.

Turkish law contains several specific grounds allowing a landlord or a new property owner to terminate a residential tenancy.

The principal grounds include:

• failure to pay rent;
• a valid written eviction undertaking;
• two justified notices for unpaid rent;
• the landlord’s genuine residential need;
• the new owner’s genuine residential need;
• substantial reconstruction or redevelopment;
• serious breach of the tenant’s obligations;
• ownership by the tenant or spouse of another suitable home in certain circumstances;
• and termination after the statutory ten-year extension period.

Each ground has its own conditions, deadlines and procedural requirements.

For that reason, whether a foreign tenant can actually be evicted cannot be determined merely by asking whether the landlord “wants the tenant to leave.”

The legally relevant question is:

Does the landlord have one of the eviction grounds recognised by Turkish law, and have all statutory procedural requirements been satisfied?

Do Foreign Tenants Have the Same Eviction Protection as Turkish Tenants?

For an ordinary residential lease governed by Turkish tenancy law, foreign nationality does not create an independent ground for termination.

The protections contained in the Turkish Code of Obligations apply to residential lease relationships without providing landlords with an additional eviction right merely because the tenant is not a Turkish citizen.

Therefore, statements such as:

“You are a foreigner, so I do not need a reason to evict you”

or

“Foreign tenants do not benefit from Turkish tenant protection”

should not be accepted as accurate statements of Turkish tenancy law.

The tenant must, of course, comply with immigration legislation separately.

A foreigner’s right to reside in Türkiye and the foreigner’s right arising from a rental agreement are different legal relationships.

Immigration status is governed principally by Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection, whereas the landlord-tenant relationship is principally governed by the Turkish Code of Obligations.

Does a One-Year Rental Contract End Automatically After One Year?

This is perhaps the most common misunderstanding among foreign tenants.

Suppose a foreign national signs a residential lease beginning on 1 October 2025 and ending on 30 September 2026.

The landlord may believe that the tenant must automatically leave on 30 September 2026.

That is generally not correct.

Article 347 provides that if the tenant does not notify the landlord at least fifteen days before expiration that the tenant wishes to terminate, the residential lease is generally extended for another year under the same conditions.

More importantly, Article 347 expressly states that the landlord cannot terminate the contract merely because the agreed fixed period has expired.

Therefore:

“The contract was for one year”

does not automatically mean:

“The landlord can evict the tenant after one year.”

The landlord generally needs a statutory termination ground.

This protection is particularly important for foreign tenants who are sometimes pressured into signing a completely new rental contract each year at a significantly increased rent.

Can a Tenant Be Evicted for Not Paying Rent?

Yes.

Failure to pay rent is one of the most important grounds for terminating a tenancy.

Article 313 of the Turkish Code of Obligations requires the tenant to pay rent.

Where rent or qualifying ancillary expenses become due after delivery of the property and the tenant does not pay them, Article 315 allows the landlord to give the tenant a written period within which payment must be made.

For residential and roofed workplace leases, this period must be at least 30 days.

The notice must also state that the contract will be terminated if payment is not made within the specified period.

Therefore, a landlord cannot generally say:

“You are five days late. I am changing the locks tomorrow.”

The statutory procedure must be respected.

However, the tenant should not underestimate unpaid rent.

If a valid payment notice is served and the debt is not paid within the required period, the landlord may acquire important termination and eviction rights.

Can a Foreign Tenant Be Evicted Even If the Overdue Rent Is Later Paid?

This requires an important distinction.

Paying the rent within the proper statutory payment period may prevent termination based on that particular default procedure.

However, repeatedly paying rent only after receiving formal notices can create another eviction ground.

This is the rule concerning two justified notices under Article 352.

Therefore, a tenant should not adopt the strategy:

“I can always wait until the landlord sends me a legal notice and then pay.”

Repeated defaults can create long-term eviction consequences.

What Is Eviction Based on Two Justified Notices?

Article 352 contains a specific ground commonly known as eviction based on two justified notices (iki haklı ihtar).

For leases of one year or longer, if the tenant causes the landlord to issue two justified written notices within a rental year because rent was not paid when due, the landlord may seek termination after the relevant rental year ends.

The landlord must bring the termination action within one month from the end of the rental year in which the statutory conditions have been satisfied.

For example:

A tenant must pay rent on the first day of each month.

The tenant fails to pay January rent on time and receives a justified written notice.

Later in the same rental year, the tenant again fails to pay May rent on time and receives another justified notice.

Even if the tenant subsequently pays both debts, the existence of two justified notices may create an eviction ground after the rental year ends.

This mechanism is particularly important because the legal problem is no longer only whether money is currently owed.

The tenant’s repeated failure to make timely rental payments becomes the statutory basis for termination.

Can a Foreign Tenant Be Evicted Because of an Eviction Undertaking?

Yes, if there is a legally valid written eviction undertaking.

This is known in Turkish law as a tahliye taahhütnamesi.

Article 352 provides that where the tenant, after the rented property has been delivered, gives the landlord a written undertaking promising to vacate the property on a specific date but does not leave on that date, the landlord may seek termination.

The landlord must initiate enforcement proceedings or file the relevant action within one month from the agreed evacuation date.

The wording “after delivery” is particularly important.

An evacuation undertaking obtained as part of the initial lease documentation before the tenant has actually taken possession does not satisfy the statutory framework in the same manner as an undertaking freely given after delivery.

Foreign tenants should therefore be extremely careful when landlords or estate agents ask them to sign a second document stating:

“I undertake to vacate the property on [date].”

This is not a meaningless administrative form.

It may later form the basis of eviction proceedings.

Can a Landlord Force a Foreign Tenant to Sign an Eviction Undertaking?

A tenant should not sign a document without understanding its legal consequences.

This is particularly important where the document is written only in Turkish and the foreign tenant does not understand Turkish.

Disputes concerning eviction undertakings frequently involve questions such as:

• when the document was actually signed;
• whether it was signed before or after delivery;
• whether the date was filled in later;
• whether the signature is disputed;
• and whether the landlord initiated proceedings within the statutory period.

A foreign tenant who receives enforcement papers based on an eviction undertaking should therefore not assume that eviction is inevitable without first reviewing the document and procedural history.

Can the Landlord Evict the Tenant Because the Landlord Needs the Apartment?

Yes, where the need is genuine and the statutory conditions are satisfied.

Article 350 allows a landlord to terminate a residential lease if the landlord has a genuine need to use the property as a residence for:

• the landlord personally;
• the landlord’s spouse;
• descendants;
• ascendants;
• or another person whom the landlord is legally obliged to support.

The provision also applies to qualifying workplace needs.

For a fixed-term lease, the landlord may bring the required action at the end of the contractual term within the statutory period.

However, saying:

“I want my house back”

does not automatically mean that every need-based eviction action will succeed.

The claimed need must correspond to the statutory framework and may be examined by the court.

The landlord must also comply with procedural deadlines.

What Is Considered a Genuine Housing Need?

The assessment depends on the particular facts.

Typical examples may include situations where:

• the landlord currently lives as a tenant and genuinely requires the owned apartment;
• the landlord needs to move to the city where the property is located;
• an adult child genuinely requires a residence;
• the landlord’s parent requires accommodation;
• or another qualifying family need exists.

A landlord cannot necessarily manufacture an artificial need merely as a way of removing a protected tenant to obtain a much higher rent from someone else.

The genuineness of the asserted requirement can become an important point in litigation.

What If the Landlord Says They Need the Property but Rents It to Someone Else After Eviction?

Turkish law contains an important protection against abuse of need-based eviction.

Under Article 355, where the landlord has obtained possession because of a claimed need, the landlord generally cannot, without a justified reason, rent the property to someone other than the former tenant for three years.

If the landlord violates this restriction, the former tenant may claim compensation of no less than the amount of one year’s rent paid during the final rental year.

This rule is important because it discourages landlords from falsely claiming personal need merely to remove an existing tenant and re-let the property at a much higher price.

Can a Tenant Be Evicted Because the Building Will Be Reconstructed or Renovated?

Yes, but ordinary cosmetic renovation is not enough by itself.

Article 350 permits termination where substantial repair, enlargement or alteration is required for reconstruction or redevelopment and where use of the rented premises would be impossible while the work is being carried out.

Therefore, there is a difference between:

“I want to repaint the apartment and replace the kitchen cabinets”

and

“The building requires substantial reconstruction making continued occupation impossible.”

The second situation may create a statutory ground for termination if the legal requirements are satisfied.

Article 355 also protects tenants following reconstruction and redevelopment, including rules concerning re-letting and the former tenant’s priority right under specified circumstances.

What Happens If the Landlord Sells the Apartment?

Selling the property does not automatically terminate the lease.

This is extremely important for foreign tenants.

Article 310 provides that when rented property changes ownership after the lease has been concluded, the new owner becomes a party to the existing rental agreement.

Therefore:

“The property has been sold”

does not mean:

“The lease disappeared.”

The new owner generally takes the property subject to the existing rental relationship.

However, the new owner may have a special right to seek eviction where the owner genuinely needs the property for personal or qualifying family use.

When Can a New Owner Evict the Existing Tenant?

Article 351 regulates the new owner’s genuine need.

Where the person acquiring the property needs it as a home or workplace for:

• themselves;
• their spouse;
• descendants;
• ascendants;
• or persons they are legally obliged to support,

the new owner may rely on the statutory procedure.

One route requires the new owner to notify the tenant in writing within one month of acquisition and then seek termination through a lawsuit after six months.

Alternatively, the new owner may exercise the need-based termination right by filing the relevant action within one month following the end of the lease period.

This means that the statement:

“I bought the apartment today; you must leave by the end of the week”

does not reflect the statutory procedure.

Can a Tenant Be Evicted for Disturbing Neighbors or Damaging the Property?

Yes, serious breaches can result in termination.

Article 316 requires tenants to:

• use the rented property carefully and in accordance with the contract; and
• show appropriate respect to persons living in the building and to neighbors.

In an ordinary residential lease, the landlord generally must first give at least 30 days to correct the breach and warn in writing that the contract will otherwise be terminated.

However, immediate written termination may be possible in particularly serious circumstances, including where the tenant deliberately causes serious damage, where giving additional time would clearly be useless, or where the tenant’s conduct has become intolerable for the landlord or people living in the same building or neighboring premises.

Examples may potentially include:

• intentionally causing major damage to the apartment;
• extremely serious and persistent disturbance;
• threatening or dangerous behavior toward other residents;
• or other severe contractual violations.

Whether the conduct reaches the statutory threshold depends on the evidence and circumstances.

Can Unauthorized Subletting Create an Eviction Problem?

Yes.

Under Article 322, a tenant in a residential or roofed workplace lease cannot sublease the property or transfer the right of use to another person without the landlord’s written consent.

This can be particularly relevant to foreign tenants who:

• rent the entire apartment to another person;
• operate it as unauthorized short-term accommodation;
• move elsewhere and allow unrelated persons to use the property;
• or transfer effective possession without the landlord’s permission.

Not every guest staying in a tenant’s home amounts to unlawful subletting.

The legal question is whether possession or the right of use has actually been transferred in a manner requiring the landlord’s written approval.

Where there is a serious breach, the landlord may seek remedies under the applicable tenancy rules.

Can a Tenant Be Evicted Because They Own Another Apartment?

In a specific situation, yes.

Article 352 provides that if the tenant or the tenant’s spouse living together owns a suitable residential property within the same district or municipal boundaries, and the landlord did not know this when the lease was entered into, the landlord may bring a termination action within one month following the end of the lease.

Several conditions are therefore relevant:

• there must be another suitable home;
• ownership must belong to the tenant or qualifying spouse;
• the property must fall within the geographical limits specified by the statute;
• and the landlord must not have known of that ownership when entering into the lease.

Simply saying:

“The tenant owns property somewhere in Türkiye”

is therefore not necessarily sufficient.

Can the Landlord Evict a Tenant After Ten Years Without Showing Another Reason?

Eventually, yes.

Article 347 provides a special termination right after the ten-year extension period.

Once the statutory ten-year extension period has been completed, the landlord may terminate at the end of a subsequent extension year without establishing another substantive eviction ground, provided notice is given at least three months before the end of that extension year.

This rule should be calculated carefully.

It should not be simplified as:

“If the tenant has lived in the apartment for ten years, the landlord can immediately evict them today.”

The original fixed term, subsequent extension periods and statutory notification requirements must be calculated correctly.

Can a Foreign Tenant Be Evicted Because Their Residence Permit Has Expired?

The expiration of a foreign tenant’s Turkish residence permit does not itself appear as a special landlord-tenant eviction ground in Articles 347–352 of the Turkish Code of Obligations.

Immigration status and tenancy rights are distinct.

For example, a foreigner whose residence permit expires may have an obligation under immigration law to regularize status or leave Türkiye.

However, this does not give the private landlord an independent power to ignore tenancy procedures, enter the apartment and remove the tenant’s belongings.

Likewise, a landlord does not personally have authority to cancel the foreigner’s residence permit.

Immigration decisions are made by the competent public authorities.

Of course, if the tenant actually leaves Türkiye and returns possession of the property, or another contractual termination event occurs, the lease may end separately.

Can a Tenant Be Evicted Because Address Registration Is Not Possible?

Not merely because an address-registration problem exists.

Address registration is an immigration and population-registration issue.

The fact that a foreign tenant cannot register an address for immigration purposes does not automatically create a civil eviction ground allowing the landlord to bypass the Turkish Code of Obligations.

However, if the tenant decides to leave the apartment because the address cannot be used for immigration purposes, the parties may negotiate termination of the rental agreement.

This should ideally be recorded in writing, including settlement of:

• the deposit;
• prepaid rent;
• utility payments;
• key delivery;
• and the date on which possession is returned.

Can a Landlord Evict a Foreign Tenant Because the Tenant Refuses a High Rent Increase?

Not merely for refusing an unlawful or disputed increase.

A rent increase dispute and an eviction ground are separate questions.

The landlord may have rights concerning determination of rent under Article 344, particularly after the five-year threshold.

However:

“Accept my requested new rent or leave”

does not by itself constitute a statutory eviction mechanism.

If the tenant continues paying the legally due rent and does not otherwise breach the agreement, the landlord must rely on a valid statutory termination ground if eviction is sought.

Can the Landlord Change the Locks?

A landlord should not bypass judicial or enforcement procedures by physically excluding a tenant who remains entitled to possession.

The existence of a dispute does not mean that the landlord may simply:

• change the locks;
• remove the tenant’s belongings;
• enter the residence by force;
• or physically remove the tenant.

Where an eviction right exists, it should be exercised through the procedures recognised by law.

Self-help measures can produce separate civil and, depending on the specific conduct, potentially criminal consequences.

Foreign tenants should preserve evidence if this occurs.

Can the Landlord Cut Electricity, Water or Gas to Force the Tenant Out?

The landlord should use lawful termination and eviction procedures rather than attempting to make the residence uninhabitable.

Where utilities are deliberately interrupted to pressure a tenant into leaving, the tenant should preserve:

• messages;
• utility documentation;
• photographs;
• building-management correspondence;
• witness evidence;
• and any other material identifying who caused the interruption.

The appropriate legal remedies depend on the particular facts.

Does the Landlord Need a Court Decision to Evict the Tenant?

In many cases, judicial proceedings are required.

Rental disputes falling within the jurisdiction of the civil courts are generally heard by the Civil Court of Peace (Sulh Hukuk Mahkemesi) regardless of the financial value of the dispute. Article 4 of the Code of Civil Procedure expressly assigns disputes arising from rental relationships to the Civil Courts of Peace, subject to the statutory exception for particular summary enforcement proceedings.

However, Turkish enforcement law also provides certain routes for eviction through enforcement proceedings without first obtaining a judgment, particularly in specified rent-default and written eviction-undertaking situations.

For this reason, a tenant who receives documents from an enforcement office should not assume:

“This is only a warning; I can ignore it until the landlord files a court case.”

Enforcement deadlines can be short and require immediate review.

Is Mandatory Mediation Required Before an Eviction Lawsuit?

Generally, rental disputes have been subject to mandatory pre-litigation mediation since 1 September 2023.

Article 18/B of Law No. 6325 requires mediation before litigation for disputes arising from rental relationships.

There is, however, an important statutory exception for eviction procedures carried out through the summary enforcement route under the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law.

Therefore, many ordinary eviction lawsuits—such as cases based on genuine need—will require completion of mandatory mediation before litigation.

By contrast, the specific statutory summary enforcement eviction route is excluded from that mediation requirement. Official Ministry of Justice training materials confirm that applications before the enforcement court concerning such summary eviction proceedings fall outside the mandatory mediation requirement, whereas a lawsuit that must instead be filed in the Civil Court of Peace can fall within it.

This procedural distinction can be important for both landlords and tenants.

What Happens During Mandatory Mediation?

The landlord and tenant may negotiate a settlement before litigation.

Possible terms include:

• a mutually agreed departure date;
• payment of outstanding rent;
• waiver of part of the claimed debt;
• a new rental amount;
• return of the security deposit;
• moving expenses;
• or another negotiated arrangement.

Foreign tenants may participate personally or through a lawyer where representation is legally permitted.

A foreign tenant should ensure that any settlement written in Turkish is fully understood before signing it.

An agreement requiring the tenant to vacate on a specific date can have significant consequences.

Practical Example 1: “Your One-Year Contract Is Over”

A foreign tenant signs a one-year residential lease.

At the end of the year, all rents have been paid and there is no valid evacuation undertaking.

The landlord sends a message:

“The contract has ended. Leave in seven days.”

The mere expiration of the one-year term is not ordinarily sufficient.

Under Article 347, the agreement generally renews for another year, and the landlord cannot terminate solely on the basis that the original contractual period ended.

The landlord would need to rely on another valid legal basis.

Practical Example 2: The Tenant Has Not Paid Rent for Two Months

A foreign tenant stops paying rent.

The landlord sends a legally compliant written notice giving at least thirty days to pay and warning that the tenancy will otherwise be terminated.

The tenant ignores the notice.

Here, the landlord may have a significant legal basis to pursue termination and eviction under Article 315.

Foreign nationality does not protect a tenant from the consequences of non-payment.

Practical Example 3: The Landlord Says Their Son Needs the Apartment

The landlord’s adult child genuinely needs a home.

The landlord initiates the statutory process at the appropriate time.

Because descendants are expressly included within Article 350, a genuine need of the landlord’s child can potentially constitute a lawful eviction ground.

The foreign tenant cannot defeat a genuine statutory need merely by arguing that the lease automatically renews.

Article 347 protection and Article 350 need-based termination must be considered together.

Practical Example 4: The Property Is Sold

A foreign tenant has eight months remaining on the current lease term.

The property is sold to another person.

The new owner tells the tenant to leave immediately.

The sale itself does not terminate the lease; under Article 310, the new owner becomes a party to the existing rental relationship.

If the new owner has a genuine qualifying need, Article 351 provides a specific procedure and timeline.

Practical Example 5: The Tenant Signed an Eviction Undertaking

After receiving possession of the apartment, the tenant signs a written document undertaking to leave on 1 December 2026.

The tenant remains after that date.

If the undertaking is legally valid, the landlord may use Article 352, provided the landlord initiates the relevant lawsuit or enforcement procedure within the statutory one-month period.

This can be one of the strongest eviction mechanisms available to landlords when all formal requirements are satisfied.

Frequently Asked Questions About Eviction of Foreign Tenants in Türkiye

Can a landlord evict a foreign tenant simply because they are a foreigner?

No. Foreign nationality itself is not a statutory residential eviction ground.

Does a one-year lease automatically end after one year?

Normally no. Residential fixed-term leases generally renew automatically under Article 347 unless the tenant gives the required notice, and the landlord cannot rely solely on expiration of the initial term.

Can the landlord evict me because I did not pay rent?

Yes, where the statutory default procedure is properly followed.

How long does a residential tenant normally receive after a written default notice?

Article 315 provides for a period of at least 30 days in residential and roofed workplace leases.

What are two justified notices?

Repeated failure to pay rent on time resulting in two justified written notices during the relevant rental year may create an eviction ground under Article 352.

Can an eviction undertaking be used against a foreign tenant?

Yes, if it satisfies the statutory conditions.

Can the landlord evict me because they need the apartment?

Potentially, yes, if there is a genuine need for the landlord or one of the qualifying persons listed in Article 350.

What if the landlord rents the apartment to someone else after evicting me for personal need?

Article 355 imposes a three-year re-letting restriction in the circumstances regulated by the provision and provides the former tenant with a compensation remedy if the rule is violated.

Can the new owner immediately evict me?

No. Sale itself does not terminate the lease. A new owner relying on genuine need must follow Article 351.

Can the landlord evict me because my residence permit expired?

Expiry of immigration permission and civil-law eviction are separate issues. Residence permit expiry is not itself listed as a special landlord eviction ground under Articles 347–352.

Is mediation required before an eviction case?

For many rental lawsuits, yes. Mandatory mediation has applied since 1 September 2023, although the statutory summary enforcement eviction procedure is expressly excluded.

What Should a Foreign Tenant Do After Receiving an Eviction Notice?

A foreign tenant should not ignore legal documents simply because they are written in Turkish.

The first step is to identify exactly what was received.

It could be:

• an ordinary landlord notice;
• a notarial notice;
• a rent-payment notice;
• an enforcement payment order;
• an enforcement eviction order;
• a mandatory mediation invitation;
• a lawsuit petition;
• or a court document.

These documents do not all have the same legal effect.

The tenant should then identify:

1. the commencement date of the lease;
2. whether the lease is fixed-term or indefinite;
3. whether rent is fully paid;
4. whether two justified notices exist;
5. whether an eviction undertaking was signed;
6. when that document was signed;
7. whether the landlord claims genuine need;
8. whether the property has been sold;
9. whether a new owner has served timely written notice;
10. whether a mediation process has begun;
11. whether enforcement proceedings have begun;
12. and what objection or response deadlines apply.

A legally weak landlord demand can become practically difficult if the tenant ignores official documents and misses procedural deadlines.

Conclusion: A Foreign Tenant Can Be Evicted in Türkiye, but Only on a Legally Recognised Ground and Through the Proper Procedure

Foreign tenants in Türkiye are protected by Turkish residential tenancy law.

A landlord generally cannot remove a tenant simply because:

• the tenant is foreign;
• the one-year contract has expired;
• the landlord wants a higher rent;
• the property has been sold;
• the tenant needs the address for immigration purposes;
• or the landlord has simply decided that the tenant should leave.

Article 347 of the Turkish Code of Obligations establishes a particularly important principle: the landlord cannot terminate an ordinary fixed-term residential lease solely because its original term has expired. The contract generally continues through statutory renewal.

Nevertheless, tenant protection is not absolute.

A foreign tenant can lawfully face eviction where statutory conditions exist.

The most important grounds include:

Unpaid rent: The landlord may use the default procedure under Article 315, including the minimum 30-day payment period applicable to residential leases.

Two justified notices: Repeated failure to pay rent when due may create an eviction ground under Article 352 even if individual debts are subsequently paid.

Written eviction undertaking: A valid written commitment given after delivery of the property can permit eviction if the tenant does not leave on the promised date and the landlord acts within the statutory period.

Landlord’s genuine need: The landlord may seek possession for themselves, a spouse, descendants, ascendants or another qualifying person under Article 350.

New owner’s need: Sale does not automatically terminate the tenancy, but a new owner may rely on Article 351 where a genuine need exists and the statutory notification and litigation requirements are satisfied.

Reconstruction and redevelopment: Substantial works making continued use impossible can provide another statutory termination ground.

Serious breach of tenant obligations: Deliberate serious damage or intolerable conduct toward neighbors may permit termination under Article 316.

Another suitable residence owned by the tenant or spouse: Article 352 provides a narrowly defined termination right where its specific conditions are satisfied.

Ten-year extension period: After completion of the statutory ten-year extension period, the landlord may eventually terminate without another substantive reason by observing the required three-month notice period.

Therefore, neither landlords nor foreign tenants should approach an eviction dispute solely on the basis of informal statements.

The decisive questions are:

What is the precise statutory eviction ground?

When did the lease begin?

Was a valid eviction undertaking signed?

Has the tenant failed to pay rent?

Were the required notices properly served?

Is the claimed housing need genuine?

Has the property been sold?

Were the statutory deadlines respected?

Is mandatory mediation required?

Have enforcement or court proceedings already begun?

These questions determine whether an eviction demand is legally enforceable.

Since 1 September 2023, most rental disputes must also go through mandatory mediation before a lawsuit can be filed, with the important statutory exception concerning certain summary eviction procedures under enforcement law.

Foreign tenants should therefore avoid two opposite mistakes.

The first is assuming:

“I am a tenant, so I can never be evicted.”

That is incorrect.

The second is assuming:

“I am a foreigner, so the landlord can remove me whenever the landlord wants.”

That is also incorrect.

Turkish law provides substantial tenant protection, but it also gives landlords specific statutory remedies where a legally recognised termination ground exists.

The outcome depends on the lease, payment history, notices, documents, timing and the exact statutory basis relied upon.

Legal Basis

The principal provisions governing the eviction of residential tenants in Türkiye include:

Turkish Code of Obligations No. 6098

• Article 310 – Change of ownership and continuation of the lease
• Article 313 – Tenant’s obligation to pay rent
• Article 315 – Tenant’s default and 30-day payment period for residential leases
• Article 316 – Duty to use the property carefully and respect neighbors
• Article 322 – Subletting and transfer of the right of use
• Article 331 – Extraordinary termination for important reasons
• Article 347 – Automatic renewal and termination after the ten-year extension period
• Article 348 – Written form for termination notices
• Article 350 – Eviction based on landlord’s need, reconstruction or redevelopment
• Article 351 – Eviction based on the new owner’s genuine need
• Article 352 – Eviction undertaking, two justified notices and ownership of another suitable residence
• Article 353 – Extension of the period for filing an eviction action following written notification
• Article 354 – Mandatory nature of statutory eviction provisions
• Article 355 – Three-year restriction on re-letting after certain evictions

Code of Civil Procedure No. 6100

• Article 4 – Jurisdiction of the Civil Court of Peace in rental disputes

Law No. 6325 on Mediation in Civil Disputes

• Article 18/B – Mandatory mediation for rental disputes, except for the statutory summary enforcement eviction procedure

Law No. 2004 on Enforcement and Bankruptcy

• Relevant provisions concerning enforcement-based collection of rent and eviction procedures.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information concerning Turkish residential tenancy law. It does not constitute legal advice regarding a specific landlord, tenant, lease agreement, eviction undertaking, unpaid rent claim or eviction proceeding. Statutory deadlines and procedural requirements should be assessed individually for each case.