Buildings with Shops in Turkish Urban Transformation: Shop Owners' Rights and What to Put in the Contract (2026)

Many Istanbul apartment buildings have shops on the ground floor. In these buildings, urban transformation means re-planning not only homes but also a business, and often a livelihood. Shop owners usually ask: how much does my vote count, will I have a shop in the new building, will my shop keep its value, and how do I keep trading during construction? Drawing on our experience developing residential projects with shops at ÇET Yapı, we answer these questions in turn.

Short answer

A shop owner has the same rights and the same decision rule as the other owners. Three things make the difference: the size of your land share, whether the zoning allows commercial use on the ground floor, and what the contract says. Do not sign until all three are clear.

1. Your voting weight comes from your land share

Under Article 6 of Law No. 6306, decisions on risky buildings are taken by a simple majority of shareholders by their shares. It is not "one shop, one vote": your voting weight equals your land share on the title deed. In many buildings, ground-floor shops were given larger land shares than flats, which can make shop owners decisive.

Our majority decision guide explains how the majority is calculated, with examples.

2. A shop in the new building: zoning and the contract

A shop in the old building does not mean a shop in the new one. The new building is permitted under the parcel's current zoning plan. The first step is to check the zoning status certificate from the municipality to see whether commercial use is allowed on the ground floor.

If it is, the contract should state at least:

• The shop's position (corner or main-street frontage) and frontage length
• Net and gross area, plus any mezzanine and storage
• Ceiling height and shopfront width
• A separate entrance, sign space and technical needs such as ventilation or a flue
• The unit allocation list showing which owner gets the shop, and the approved preliminary design

For a general contract checklist see our flat-for-land guide.

3. Value differences and land share correction

A shop facing a main street can be worth far more per square metre than a flat in the same building. Because new floor area is usually allocated in proportion to land shares, shop owners may worry about losing value. There are three routes:

1. Negotiation: Owners can agree an allocation that reflects the shop's location value. This must be written clearly into the contract and the allocation list.
2. Valuation: The parties can obtain an independent valuation from a CMB (SPK)-licensed appraisal firm. In a dispute, the sale price is also set with such valuations in mind.
3. Land share correction: If land shares were not allocated in proportion to unit values, any owner can ask a court to correct them under Article 3 of the Condominium Law. This should be reviewed with a lawyer before the transformation decision.

For how new flat and shop sizes are calculated, see our guide will my flat shrink?

4. What if you do not agree?

Once the simple majority is reached, the decision is notified to the owners who did not join, who are given 15 days. If they still do not agree, their land share is sold by auction, first to the agreeing shareholders and at no less than market value. The market value is set by the Valuation Commission, also taking into account a valuation from a CMB-licensed firm obtained by the owners (Implementing Regulation Arts. 15 and 15/A). For a shop owner this means not leaving negotiation to the end: raising your requirements at the decision stage is far better than ending up in a sale process.

5. Support: rent assistance and Yarısı Bizden

Current rent assistance amounts are in our rent assistance guide, and campaign conditions in our Yarısı Bizden guide. For tenant traders see our tenant rights guide. Fee and tax exemptions under Law No. 6306 also apply to workplaces; see our exemptions guide.

6. Plan your business during construction

The hardest part for shop owners is trading elsewhere for roughly eighteen months to two years. Our suggestions:

• Have the vacating date written into the contract, with several months' notice.
• Look for a temporary shop early, ideally on the same street or nearby so you keep your customers.
• Budget for moving stock, signs and fixed fittings.
• Have the delivery date and late-delivery penalty written into the contract; for a shop, delay means lost rent and lost trade.
• If your shop is let, agree with your tenant in writing on vacating and priority for the new shop.

Checklist for shop owners

1. Find out your land share and the other owners' shares.
2. Check whether current zoning allows commercial use on the ground floor.
3. Get an independent valuation if needed.
4. Have the shop's position, frontage, area and ceiling height written into the allocation list.
5. Add vacating and delivery dates and a late-delivery penalty to the contract.
6. Plan your applications for rent assistance and Yarısı Bizden workplace support.

ÇET Yapı's experience

ÇET Yapı's Merter İnsaya Residences were completed in 15 months on a 2,332 m² plot with 40 homes and 2 shops. In Bahçelievler, our İnsaya Bahçelievler project, now under construction, has a commercial frontage of street-facing shops on the ground floor. If you are planning a transformation in a building with shops, you can estimate the new unit sizes with our calculator and contact us through our pre-application form.

This article is general information. On land share correction and contracts, we recommend consulting a lawyer before deciding.