Apartment Management Imposes Major Renovation Costs on Foreign Owners in Turkey: Must They Pay? (2026 Updated Guide)

Can apartment management force a foreign property owner in Turkey to pay major renovation costs? Learn the rules on common expenses, extraordinary repairs, owner resolutions, objections, enforcement proceedings and legal remedies.

Foreign property owners in Turkey can unexpectedly receive substantial payment demands from apartment or residential complex management for roof replacement, façade renovation, elevators, insulation, structural repairs, security systems, landscaping or other major works. The fact that an owner is foreign, lives outside Turkey or rarely uses the apartment does not generally remove obligations arising from ownership. However, this does not mean that every renovation expense demanded by apartment management is automatically lawful or payable. The legal position depends on whether the work concerns common areas, whether the expense is necessary, how the cost is allocated, whether a valid owners’ resolution exists where required and whether the management is acting within its authority.

Which Law Governs Apartment Expenses in Turkey?

Disputes concerning apartment buildings and residential complexes are principally governed by Turkey’s condominium ownership framework, together with the registered management plan, resolutions of the owners’ assembly and other applicable private-law rules.

For a foreign owner, the first step should therefore be to obtain the management plan and the decision relied upon for the renovation demand.

Are Foreign Owners Subject to the Same Rules?

Generally, yes. Foreign ownership does not create a separate exemption from legitimate common expenses.

An owner who spends most of the year abroad cannot ordinarily refuse a valid common expense merely because the apartment is empty.

What Are Common Expenses?

Common expenses can include costs connected with maintenance, protection, repair and operation of common parts of the building or complex.

Typical examples can include roof repairs, exterior works, common plumbing systems, elevators, common heating infrastructure, structural components and other shared facilities.

Major Renovation and Ordinary Maintenance Should Be Distinguished

Changing a broken component and undertaking a multimillion-lira redesign of a residential complex are not necessarily the same legal issue.

The greater the scale and cost of the project, the more important it becomes to examine the legal authority for the work and the owners’ decision-making process.

Is Every Renovation Decision Binding?

No automatic assumption should be made.

The management should be able to identify the decision authorizing the project, the legal basis, the voting process and the method used to allocate costs among owners.

Obtain the Owners’ Assembly Resolution

Foreign owners should request a copy of the resolution approving the renovation.

Check the meeting date, agenda, attendance, voting result, scope of the work and approved budget.

Was the Renovation Actually Approved?

Management cannot necessarily impose every project merely because the manager believes it would improve the property.

Some necessary repairs may fall within management responsibilities, while substantial alterations or improvements may require different decision-making requirements.

Necessary Repairs Can Be Different

Urgent repairs needed to protect the building from serious damage may present a different situation.

For example, a severely leaking roof or dangerous structural condition may require immediate intervention even where ordinary decision-making would otherwise take time.

Luxury Improvements Require Particular Attention

A project intended primarily to increase comfort, appearance or prestige should be distinguished from work required to preserve the building.

Foreign owners receiving unusually high assessments should ask whether the project is genuinely necessary or constitutes an optional improvement.

Common Area or Private Apartment?

Determine exactly where the work is being performed.

Renovating a common roof is different from repairing damage located exclusively inside one owner’s apartment. The legal responsibility for payment may therefore depend on whether the affected element is a common part.

How Are Renovation Costs Divided?

The allocation of common expenses can depend on the nature of the expense, statutory rules and the management plan.

Owners should not automatically assume that every expense must be divided equally between apartments.

Check the Land Share

The registered land share connected with each independent unit can become relevant to certain common expenses.

A foreign owner should compare the amount demanded with the allocation imposed on other units.

Can Management Charge Foreign Owners More?

Foreign nationality itself should not justify a higher share.

If foreign owners are being charged differently from comparable Turkish owners without a lawful basis, the calculation should be challenged.

What If the Foreign Owner Never Uses the Facility?

An owner may argue that they never use the elevator, garden, swimming pool or another common facility. Non-use, however, does not automatically eliminate every obligation to contribute to legitimate common expenses.

The precise nature of the facility and applicable cost-allocation rules should be reviewed.

What If the Apartment Is Empty?

Leaving the apartment vacant generally does not eliminate ownership-based obligations relating to legitimate common expenses.

This is particularly important for foreign investors who visit Turkey only occasionally.

What If the Apartment Is Rented?

The distinction between owner and tenant responsibility should be examined.

Major structural and ownership-related expenditures should not automatically be treated in the same way as ordinary operating expenses payable by a tenant.

Review the Lease Agreement

Where the property is rented, check whether the lease allocates particular building expenses to the tenant.

Contractual allocation between owner and tenant does not necessarily change the condominium’s ability to pursue the legally responsible person.

Can Management Demand Advance Payment?

Large renovation projects are often financed through additional assessments collected from owners.

The owner should request the approved budget, payment schedule and underlying decision before making a substantial payment.

Ask for the Contractor Agreement

For expensive projects, owners should request information concerning the contractor, project price, scope of work and payment arrangements.

A vague demand for a large lump sum without supporting information deserves closer examination.

Request Invoices and Cost Documentation

Transparency becomes especially important where renovation costs are substantial.

Foreign owners should preserve invoices, quotations, contracts, bank records and management communications.

What If the Cost Appears Excessive?

An expensive project is not automatically unlawful. However, owners can examine whether the project was properly approved, whether procurement was transparent and whether the expenditure corresponds with the authorized work.

An independent technical assessment may be useful in major disputes.

Technical Expert Evidence Can Be Important

Where management claims that extensive renovation is essential for safety or structural reasons, an architect, engineer or other qualified expert may be needed.

The dispute may ultimately depend on whether the work was necessary and proportionate.

What If the Owner Was Not Invited to the Meeting?

Foreign owners frequently discover decisions months after an owners’ meeting.

The meeting notice, service method, management records and owner’s registered contact information should be examined.

Failure to participate does not automatically invalidate every resolution, but procedural irregularities can become relevant.

Owners Living Abroad Should Keep Their Contact Information Current

A foreign owner should ensure that management has reliable contact details and should monitor notices concerning owners’ meetings.

Ignoring management communications can cause important objection periods to be missed.

Can the Owner Give a Power of Attorney?

A foreign owner who lives abroad can potentially authorize a representative in Turkey to deal with management matters, subject to the applicable legal requirements.

The scope of authority should be drafted appropriately.

Can an Owners’ Resolution Be Challenged?

Potentially. A resolution that violates mandatory law, the management plan or applicable decision-making requirements may be open to judicial challenge.

The nature of the defect can affect the appropriate claim and applicable time considerations.

Do Not Ignore the Resolution While Preparing a Challenge

If the owner believes the decision is unlawful, the legal position should be reviewed promptly.

Waiting until enforcement proceedings begin can make the dispute more expensive and complicated.

What If Management Starts Enforcement Proceedings?

Unpaid apartment dues and renovation assessments can result in debt collection proceedings.

A foreign owner receiving an enforcement payment order should immediately check the amount, basis of the debt and applicable objection period.

Missing an Enforcement Deadline Can Be Serious

Do not ignore official documents simply because they are written in Turkish or because the owner lives abroad.

Procedural deadlines can continue running after legally effective service.

Can Interest Be Added?

Late payment of legitimate common expenses can produce additional financial consequences under the applicable condominium framework.

The owner should therefore distinguish between disputing an unlawful assessment and simply leaving a valid debt unpaid.

Can the Apartment Be Subject to Enforcement?

Persistent unpaid condominium debts can ultimately expose the owner to enforcement measures.

For high-value Turkish real estate, a relatively smaller management dispute should therefore not be ignored.

What If the Amount Is Incorrect?

Request an account statement showing the principal amount, payment dates, allocation method and any additional charges.

Compare the figures with the owners’ resolution and management plan.

Previous Owner’s Debts Should Be Checked

A foreign buyer who recently acquired the apartment may discover historical management debts.

The acquisition date, nature and period of each claimed debt should be examined carefully rather than accepting a single accumulated balance.

Due Diligence Before Purchasing Is Important

Foreign buyers should obtain management-debt information before closing a property transaction.

Outstanding renovation assessments can materially affect the true acquisition cost.

What If Renovation Damages the Apartment?

If common-area construction causes water damage, cracks, broken fixtures or other damage inside the private apartment, document the condition immediately.

Photographs, videos, expert reports and repair estimates may become important for a compensation claim.

What If the Contractor Enters the Apartment?

Major building works sometimes require access through individual units.

The owner should request information about the purpose, timing and scope of access and document the apartment’s condition before workers enter.

Structural Renovations Require Additional Caution

Projects involving load-bearing components, major structural interventions or other safety-sensitive work should be examined carefully.

Required permits, technical projects and professional approvals should be verified where applicable.

Unauthorized Construction Can Create Separate Problems

A management resolution does not automatically replace permits or approvals required under zoning, building or technical legislation.

Foreign owners should be cautious where management proposes substantial physical alterations without clear regulatory documentation.

Can a Foreign Owner Obtain an Injunction?

Where an allegedly unlawful project creates a risk of serious or difficult-to-reverse harm, the possibility of interim judicial protection may be evaluated according to the circumstances.

This can be particularly important before irreversible construction is completed.

Should the Owner Pay First and Sue Later?

There is no universal answer.

The strategy depends on the validity of the assessment, enforcement risk, amount, procedural stage and strength of the owner’s objections. Payment under reservation and subsequent recovery may be considered in some situations, while direct challenge may be more appropriate in others.

Evidence Foreign Owners Should Preserve

Keep the title deed information, management plan, owners’ assembly resolutions, meeting notices, payment demands, account statements, contractor documents, invoices, photographs, correspondence and proof of previous payments.

A well-organized documentary file can substantially simplify the dispute.

Red Flags in Major Renovation Assessments

Foreign owners should investigate carefully where management refuses to provide the resolution, cannot explain how costs were divided, demands cash without documentation, gives inconsistent figures to different owners, refuses access to expense records or begins major works without explaining the project’s authorization.

These circumstances do not automatically establish wrongdoing, but they justify closer legal examination.

Practical Strategy for Foreign Property Owners in 2026

A foreign owner receiving a major renovation assessment should first determine whether the project concerns common property and whether the work is necessary maintenance, structural repair or an optional improvement. The owner should then obtain the management plan, owners’ resolution, budget, contractor documents and calculation of their individual share.

If the decision or allocation appears unlawful, available objections and judicial remedies should be evaluated before enforcement proceedings or irreversible construction significantly complicate the dispute.

Frequently Asked Questions

Must a foreign owner pay apartment renovation costs in Turkey?

Potentially yes, where the expense is a legally valid common expense properly allocated to the owner. Foreign nationality does not itself create an exemption.

Can I refuse because I live outside Turkey?

Generally, absence from Turkey does not automatically remove obligations arising from ownership.

Can management impose any renovation it wants?

No. The legal authority for the work, applicable decision-making rules and nature of the project should be examined.

Can I request invoices and project information?

Owners facing substantial assessments should request the underlying resolution, budget and available documentation supporting the expense.

Do I have to pay for facilities I never use?

Non-use does not automatically eliminate responsibility for legitimate common expenses. The particular expense and allocation rules must be examined.

Can I challenge the owners’ assembly decision?

Potentially, where the resolution violates applicable law, the management plan or relevant procedural requirements.

What happens if I simply do not pay?

Management may pursue collection through enforcement proceedings and additional financial consequences can arise.

Can renovation expenses be demanded from my tenant?

Owner and tenant responsibility depends on the nature of the expense and contractual arrangements. Major ownership-related expenditures should be distinguished from ordinary operating costs.

What if the renovation damages my apartment?

Document the damage immediately and preserve evidence concerning causation, repair costs and responsibility.

What should I do before paying a very large renovation assessment?

Obtain the owners’ resolution, management plan, project scope, budget and calculation of your share. A foreign owner should verify both the legality of the renovation decision and the accuracy of the amount demanded before treating a major assessment as an unquestionable debt.

Client-Focused Legal Support for Foreign Property Owners in Turkey

Disputes over major apartment and residential-complex renovations can involve common expenses, owners’ assembly resolutions, management plans, extraordinary assessments, contractor costs, enforcement proceedings, property damage and challenges to unlawful management decisions. Fırat Fesih Kaya Law Office assists foreign property owners and investors facing condominium and apartment-management disputes in Turkey. Lawyer Fırat Fesih Kaya provides legal assistance in reviewing renovation assessments, challenging disputed owners’ resolutions, responding to enforcement proceedings, examining management accounts and pursuing claims arising from unlawful construction or property damage.

Phone:
+90 312 434 22 22

Mobile:
+90 532 769 22 22

Email:
info@firatfesihkaya.av.tr

Address:
Mevlana Boulevard No:221, Yıldırım Tower, Office No:148
06520 Balgat, Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey