Frequently Asked Questions when renting a real-estate:
- How to pay utilities like electricity, water, natural gas, cable TV, ADSL and telephone:
During the term of the lease the expenses of electricity, water, natural gas, cable TV, ADSL and telephone shall be paid by the lessee. Also we assist the lessees about getting subscription for electricity, water, natural gas, cable TV, ADSL and telephone. The expenses of electricity, water, natural gas, cable TV, ADSL and telephone and etc. are paid in TL to the providers/compaines.
The bills of these expenses are usually received in the mail box of the apartment/house and must be paid on time. If the payments are not done on time; the lessee will be charged penalty fees by the providers/compaines. The lessee should know that the service provider can also cut the service because of the unpaid bills.
- Heating systems and building maintenance charges:
There are 2 kinds of heating systems. 1st one is “Central heating system” and the 2nd one is “individual heating system”. If the heating system is central; the maintenance charge that the lessee should pay monthly, includes the heating cost. But hot water can be provided either from the central heating system or from the individual boiler. If the heating system is individual; depending on his usage, the lessee pays the expense of heating by himself/herself. The lessee shall know that there are 2 ways of having natural gas service in usee; 1st one is receiving monthly bills depending on the usage and the 2nd one is having the prepaid natural gas card which is reloaded from the banks and PTT offices with cash TL. Also the hot water is provided from the individual boiler.
The maintenance charges includethe cost of heating (if it’s central heating system), lightning of the building, concierge(if there is in the building), general cleaning of the building, elevator (if there is in the building), security (if there is in the building) etc. If there is a concierge at the building, he collects the garbage. Any increase on the building maintenance charges shall be paid by the lessee. Increase of maintenance charges depend on expense of natural gas, electricity, water, fee of concierge and etc…
The Building Maintenance Charges are usually paid in TL and has to be paid on time to the bank account of the management which is given in the contract. If it’s paid in cash; the management gives an invoice which is the proof of the payment. If the lessee doesn’t make the maintenance charge payment on time; he has to pay the maintenance charge with the penalty fees which are determined by the managements.
The lessee should know that the management can also cut the service because of the unpaid maintenance charges.
- How to pay rent:
Rent shall be paid either monthly or every two, three, six months and yearly in advance. Rent shall be paid to the lessor’s bank account. Rent shall not be paid by credit card.
- Period of the lease and extension:
Contract periods change according to the period that lessee will stay. For unfurnished apartments minimum period is 1 year. For furnished apartments the period can be short term (1 month, 2 months, 6 months, etc.) or long term(1 year, 2 years, etc.) After the expiry date of the lease, the lease shall be extended after 1 year or month every year or month for 1 year or month automatically provided that there is not a written request from one of the parties to the contrary 1 month prior to the date of the expiration of the lease.
Since the rent is paid in foreign currency the rent shall not be subject to an annual escalation. Also the lessee cannot transfer or sublet the apartment in whole or parts to the third parties or cannot use for the other purposes rather than it’s implied in the contract.
- Period of the lease and extension:
Contract periods change according to the period that lessee will stay. For unfurnished apartments minimum period is 1 year. For furnished apartments the period can be short term (1 month, 2 months, 6 months, etc.) or long term(1 year, 2 years, etc.) After the expiry date of the lease, the lease shall be extended after 1 year or month every year or month for 1 year or month automatically provided that there is not a written request from one of the parties to the contrary 1 month prior to the date of the expiration of the lease.
Since the rent is paid in foreign currency the rent shall not be subject to an annual escalation. Also the lessee cannot transfer or sublet the apartment in whole or parts to the third parties or cannot use for the other purposes rather than it’s implied in the contract.
- Terminate the lease:
Force Majeure: If the company – where the lessee is working – finishes its activities in Turkey, or if the lessee is assigned to another country, the lessee has the right to end the contract by giving written notice to the lessor 1(one) month prior to the evacuation of the property. If the lessee does not give 1(one) month written notice about termination and evacuation of the apartment the lessor has the right to withhold 1(one) month rent.
Diplomatique clause: In the situation that the embassy leaves Ankara or the lessee is appointed to another place due to his job, the lessee can terminate the lease due to his specific situation and function. The lessee should inform this situation to the lessor 1 (one) month in advance in writing. If the lessor is not notified of this situation 1 (one) month in advance, he has the right to charge 1 (one) extra month rent in advance.
In such a case, the rent paid in advance shall be reduced by 1 month and the balance shall be reimbursed back to the lessee by the lessor.
The lease can not be terminated without the reasons meintoned in Force Majeure and/or Diplomatic Clause.
- Delivery of a furnished apartment:
The apartment shall be delivered to the lessee with the furniture and electrical appliances which are specified with a list attach to the contract, clean, the inventories in sound condition and undamaged. The lessee shall return the apartment to the lessor with all its belongings, electrical appliances in working order, undamaged, inventories in sound condition except for normal tear and wear, clean in the same state as he/she had rented it.
- Delivery of an unfurnished apartment:
The apartment shall be delivered to the lessee clean, painted and parquet floors varnished and polished, undamaged, the inventories, which are specified with a list attach to the contract, in sound condition and free of any deficiencies. When the lessee evacuates the apartment he shall deliver it except for the normal tear and wear, free of any deficiencies, painted and parquet floors polished and varnished, clean, the inventories on the attached list in sound condition and undamaged in the same state as he/she had rented it.
- Delivery of a house:
The house shall be delivered to the lessee, newly painted and parquet floors varnished and polished, clean, undamaged, with the inventories which are specified with a list attach to the contract, the annexes, water tank, water pump, heating system, electrical and water installation is in working condition, free of any defects or deficiencies and in working condition. When the lessee evacuates the house, he shall deliver it with the inventories in sound condition and in working condition, free of any deficiencies, repainted and undamaged except from normal wear and tear.
The lessee shall be responsible for heating of the house. Heating system is natural gas modification. The heating system should be operated at minimum level during weather, even when house is not occupied to avoid freezing, clogging as a result of inactiveness and similar damages. The hot water is supplied trough the same system. The lessee shall be responsible for the periodical maintenance of the heating system.
The lessee is also responsible for garden care of the house. If there is a fee for garden care, this expense state as he/she had rented it.
- Withholding tax:
When it’s about renting an office, the rental price is net and withholding tax and the funds shall be paid by the lessee. After the payment of the withholding tax and the funds are done, the copy of the invoice shall be sent to the lessor by the lessee.
- Commission:
We do not charge any fees until a convenient residence or office is found, we charge our customers only after the contract is signed. The rate of our commission fee is %4 in sale while it’s exactly the same amount of the first months’ rent in renting and in both services it is charged half from the customer and half from owner.
- Deposit:
The lessee shall pay the same amount of one month rent as security deposit to the lessor( but in some cases, for sure the lessor can ask for more as the security deposit ). The lessor shall return deposit back to the lessee upon the submission of the paid bills like electricity, water, cable TV, natural gas, telephone, internet(ADSL), alarm system, building maintenance charges and delivery of the apartment without any damage, clean, except for normal wear and tear, inventories in sound condition, when the lessee evacuates the apartment.
The security shall never be regarded as rental price.
- Install a satellite dish:
Some of the building managements do not let lessee to install a satellite dish. If you inform our agency about your request for installing a satellite dish, we can inform you by asking for the permission to building management.
- Solution of the problems during the lease period:
We, Mavi Real Estate Agency, assist both lessee and lessor for problems occurring during the lease period. We assist you with our professional team for getting subscriptions like telephone, ADSL, electricity, cable TV, natural gas, water, satellite and solve your problems like leakage, isolation, painting, parquet, etc.
The lessee shall repair at his expense any damage to the apartment and to its annexes, to the electrical equipments which may occur due to his negligence and use. Any damage occurring due to building construction faults (e.g. leakage, isolation, etc.) and any damage of electrical equipments in normal use shall be repaired by the lessor within 1 week time.
Lessee shall not participate in the repair, modification, renovation and replacement expenses of the common places. Such expenses shall be paid by the lessor.
The lessee cannot make any alterations in the apartment without the written consent of the lessor.
If you rent a terrace floor, during winter you shall shovel up the snow on the terrace and also take care of the water out ways to not to face a leakage problem.
- Pets:
Some of the lessors/building managements do not accept having a pet in the apartment/house. If you have a pet, please inform us about it so we show you the apartments/houses where you are allowed to have a pet.
Ankara Guide
