Renting out Turkish property from abroad

You can rent out an apartment in Türkiye while living abroad. To do so, you need to decide who will sign tenancy agreements, collect the rent and look after the apartment locally. The arrangements also depend on whether you plan an ordinary residential tenancy or tourist accommodation.

Agree the limits of the work with your manager from the start. Finding tenants, cleaning and repairs may be part of the service, while preparing tax documents or handling a dispute with a tenant will need a separate arrangement.

Long-term tenancy or tourist accommodation?

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires a permit for letting a home to tourists for up to and including 100 days under a single agreement. You therefore cannot assume that a listing on a platform or an agent's agreement is enough to start.

Before you accept bookings, find out whether a permit is needed for the way you plan to let the apartment and whether the apartment and building meet the conditions. The official applications page describes filing through e-Devlet. Do not give your manager the password to your government account; agree separately how you will be represented.

What the agreement with your representative should cover

Set out who may sign the tenancy agreement, accept deposits, hand over keys and order repairs. State a spending limit that needs no approval from you and what happens in an emergency. Authority to let the apartment should not turn into unlimited permission to deal with it.

Agree which account receives payments, when money is passed on to you and how often you receive reports. A report should show how much the tenant paid, whether anything is outstanding and what was deducted for management and repairs. Provide separately for ending the arrangement and handing documents and keys to a new representative.

Before a tenant moves in, it is useful to make an inventory and record the condition of the apartment. Confirm who receives the tenant's notices and who tells you about arrears or complaints. Even a good manager should not decide alone on a sale, a mortgage or a court settlement without the necessary authority.

How rental income is treated

The Revenue Administration's 2026 guide for nonresidents covers Turkish rental income of people living abroad, how it is declared and how the calculations are supported. Not having a residence permit is not the same as having no tax obligations. Immigration status and tax residence are checked separately.

Keep contracts, bank records and invoices for expenses. Do not assume that every amount kept by your manager is automatically a deductible expense for tax. The calculation depends on the relevant year, the type of income and your circumstances; a guide published in 2026 should not be applied mechanically to every future period.

Is a power of attorney to the agent enough?

No. A power of attorney sets out authority, while the management agreement should govern duties, fees, reporting and termination. The two must be consistent, including the form and use of a document signed abroad.

Can I take bookings while the permit is being processed?

First establish whether this apartment can be let in the way you have chosen and which permits are needed before you start. A manager's promise to arrange the documents later does not give you the right to take bookings.

The first contact with LP Legal is free of charge. We work fluently in Turkish and English, and a paid interpreter can be arranged on request. Tell us the city, the planned rental term and whether you already have a manager. Please do not send title documents or bank statements through the open form.

Discuss protecting your interests as an owner.