In Turkey, there is no general receipt for payment of housing and communal services. You will need to pay each of these costs separately: electricity costs, water costs (hot and cold), heating costs, costs for building renovation work, etc.
What is Aidat?
Aidat, these are the monthly expenses of the building divided by the number of apartments and commercial premises.
For example, if a building spends an average of 500 TL for water (watering the garden, cleaning), 500 TL for electricity (lighting, elevator), 500 TL for maintenance of the elevator, and 2.000 TL for cleaning the common area of the building, then the total costs will amount to 4.500 TL.
The amount of Aidat for each property is: 4.500/10 apartments = 450 TL (divided equally among each property or by the size of the land share).
If the standard expenses of the building for each property are 450 TL, but the amount of Aidat paid is 500 TL, then an additional 50 lira is accumulated in the building’s cash to pay for unforeseen situations.
If a building has a concierge, a security, a swimming pool, a hammam, a water purification system or the building is managed by an external management company, this increases the costs of expenses the building and increases the amount of the Aidat.
Who pays “Aidat”?
Aidat is paid by the property user (owner or tenant). The owner is equally responsible for paying Aidat if the tenant non-payment.
Who manages a building?
A building can be managed by one of the residents of the house at his own discretion. The building manager is considered a resident chosen by the majority (more than 51%) of the property owners in the building. As a rule, the manager doesn’t pay the monthly Aidat amount like everyone else. Additionally, receiving a salary or other benefits by a manager without having an officially registered company with the right to conduct this business is considered illegal.
A building can be managed by an External Management Company. In this case, the costs of the External Company’s services are added to the Aidat amount, divided by the amount of property in the house. The decision to transfer building management to an external management company also accepts by property owners (more than 51%). This management option is preferable if there is no one among the residents of the building who wants to become a Manager, or if there is a Building Manager, but he/she does not fulfill the obligations assigned to him/her.
The building manager is obliged to provide information on expenses and income, work performed and costs, give a receipt for payment of Aidat (if paid in cash). The Manager’s responsibilities also include organizing and check repairs.
Who is an Auditor?
An Auditor must be selected in each building. His responsibilities include monitoring the Manager’s activities. An Auditor can be selected from among the property owners or you can use the services of an External Independent Auditor.
Why does the Building Manager sometimes ask for payment of additional expenses in addition to the Aidat amount?
The monthly Aidat doesn’t include expenses for major repairs of the building and other expenses not included in the annual budget of the building. That is, if works in a building including repair the building’s facade, repair the entrance, trim trees, etc., an additional fee is collected from the owners or tenant for this work. The building manager carries out the relevant work with the consent of 51% and sometimes up to 80% of the property owners.
What happens if I you don’t pay Aidat and additional building’s expenses?
Aidat is paid monthly. Additional building’s expenses is paid if necessary. In case of non-payment, penalties of 5% per month will be applied each subsequent month. To collect the debt, the building manager can sue you.
Who and when pays for water, electricity, gas (heating)?
Once a month, responsible organizations come to the building to read the indicators of meters for water, electricity, gas (for heating). Based on the meter readings from each property, a receipt is printed out and left at the entrance of the building. Property users pay receipts to the relevant organizations – water (ASAT), electricity (CK Akdeniz), gas (Enerya).
There is no hot water in Turkey. Cold water is heated using a solar panel, an electric water heater, or a storage water heater, or a gas boiler, each installed separately in each apartment.
What is a «decision book»?
This is a special notebook, notarized and legally binding, in which the Building Manager writes the decisions made by the property owners at the meeting of the building. Without an appropriate decision requiring 51% and sometimes up to 80% consent of the owners, expensive works to improve living conditions cannot be carried out in the building.
Commercial real estate
Owners or Tenants of commercial real estate are equally responsible for paying Aidat.