Urban Transformation in Turkey: Questions and Answers

It depends on how quickly owners agree, permit times and building size. The statutory periods (notice, objection, demolition) take a few months; construction of a mid-sized apartment block usually takes 18–30 months. Two to three years in total is a realistic expectation.

One or more owners order a risky building assessment from a Ministry-licensed institution. Once final, the owners run the process by simple-majority decisions.

Decisions on the parcel of a risky building are taken by a simple majority of owners by land share. Before Law No. 7471 (November 2023) the threshold was two-thirds.

If, for reasons attributable to the contractor, construction has not started within one year or has been stalled for at least six months, owners can decide by simple majority to terminate and apply to the Directorate, which gives the contractor 30 days; otherwise the contracts are deemed terminated.

Owners of risky buildings vacated by agreement may receive monthly rent assistance for 18 months (TRY 8,000 in Istanbul); tenants receive a one-off payment.

Primarily the owners or their legal representatives, at their own cost. The Directorate or municipality may also carry it out ex officio or require owners to do it within a set period.

To an institution licensed by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change. The request is recorded in the Ministry's electronic system; if no assessment is made within two months, the record can be deleted at any owner's request.

Fieldwork and lab time vary by institution. After review, a building found risky is reported to the land registry within 10 working days at the latest and then publicly displayed for 15 days.

Owners or their legal representatives submit a petition to the Provincial Directorate within 15 days after the last day of the neighbourhood notice. A technical board reviews the objection.

If access is refused, the assessment can be carried out ex officio with police assistance, with the written permission of the district governor.

Land shares count, not people or flats. Decisions are taken by owners holding a simple majority (more than half) of the land shares of the parcel.

No. Law No. 7471 of 7 November 2023 replaced the two-thirds requirement with a simple majority by share.

The decision and offer are served on non-consenting owners with 15 days to accept. If they do not, the majority applies to the Provincial Directorate; a committee sets the fair value and the share is auctioned, first among consenting owners, at not less than fair value.

The sale price, which cannot be below the fair value set by the committee. Mortgages or attachments on the share continue over the sale price.

No. The regulation states that the share sale does not require the building to have been demolished.

No. Under Article 15/7 of the Implementing Regulation, if only some buildings on the parcel are risky, the annotation is entered only for those blocks and only their shareholders decide on transformation by a simple majority of shares. Owners in the other blocks are not bound.

All shareholders in the parcel decide by a simple majority of their shares, regardless of which block they live in (Regulation Art. 15/6).

Yes. Parcels whose buildings are all risky and which can be merged under zoning rules can be merged by a simple majority of shares taken in each parcel separately. After the merger, the project is decided by a simple majority of shares in the new parcel.

No. Decisions under Law No. 6306 are taken by a simple majority of the title deed shareholders by their shares. The board can organise the meeting and coordinate the process, but it cannot replace the decision.

A larger, better-shaped plot, a more efficient layout, shared parking, more green space and often a better sharing ratio. Some municipalities also grant extra building rights for parcel mergers through plan notes.

Under Law No. 6306, a risky building is a building inside or outside a risky area that has completed its economic life or is found, on scientific and technical data, to be at risk of collapse or heavy damage. The assessment is made by institutions licensed by the Ministry.

A risky building is a single building, assessed at an owner's request. A risky area is a whole zone designated by the President because of its ground conditions or building stock; transformation there is usually run by the Urban Transformation Presidency, the municipality or TOKİ.

More than half of the land shares on the title deed, not more than half of the owners. In a building with 1,000 land shares, owners holding 501 shares can take the decision.

Tevhit is merging several parcels into one; ifraz is dividing one parcel into several. Merging parcels is common in urban transformation because it allows more efficient designs with parking.

It is the fraction of the land attached to each independent unit under condominium ownership, written on the title deed. In urban transformation it sets both your voting weight and the area you receive in the new building.

The monthly amount is set by the Urban Transformation Directorate. According to the Ministry's latest announcement, in force since 2025, it is TRY 8,000 in Istanbul; TRY 6,500 in Ankara, İzmir, Antalya and Bursa; TRY 5,500 in other metropolitan cities and TRY 4,500 elsewhere. Confirm the current figure with the Provincial Directorate before applying.

For risky buildings outside designated risky areas, owners receive it for 18 months. In risky areas and reserve building areas the institution running the project sets the period, up to 48 months.

Yes, but as a one-off payment: tenants living in or running a business in the risky building can receive twice the monthly amount (TRY 16,000 in Istanbul).

Within one year of the eviction date or the demolition date of the risky building.

No. The same person cannot receive both rent assistance and interest support from the Transformation Projects Special Account. The TRY 125,000 relocation support in Istanbul's 'Yarısı Bizden' campaign is a separate scheme.

Under Ministry rent assistance, a one-off payment of twice the monthly amount: TRY 16,000 in Istanbul and TRY 13,000 in Ankara, İzmir, Antalya and Bursa. In Istanbul Yarısı Bizden projects, TRY 125,000 relocation support is also paid to the occupant.

No. Monthly assistance is for owners; tenants receive a one-off payment.

Once the risky building decision is final, the authority gives owners up to 90 days to vacate and demolish. Notices are posted on the building, sent via e-Government and displayed for 15 days; tenants must move out within this period in practice.

Vacating within the given period is mandatory under Law No. 6306. Buildings not vacated can be cleared with police assistance on the district governor's permission.

To the Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, or the municipality if authority was delegated, within one year of eviction or demolition. A lease agreement and address registration are usually required.

Owners of homes and businesses in any of Istanbul's 39 districts whose building has been officially assessed as risky under Law No. 6306 by a Ministry-licensed institution.

The construction area of the new building, excluding parking and shelter areas, must not exceed 1.5 times that of the existing building. Projects above this limit cannot receive campaign support.

They are paid directly to the contractor on the owner's behalf according to progress: 30% at start, 30% when the structural frame is complete, 30% at the plastering stage and 10% at the occupancy permit.

Repayment begins two years after the building permit and is spread over 10 years. No interest is charged in the first year; afterwards the balance is updated annually by half of the CPI rate. Income and credit score are not checked.

On 8 September 2026 Minister Murat Kurum announced a one-year extension to 31 December 2027.

No. The first sale, transfer, registration and mortgage of new buildings created under the law to owners, the contractor and tenants of at least one year are exempt.

Transformation transactions are exempt from notary fees and stamp duty. Notaries' non-fee service charges should be checked separately.

Municipalities charge no fees for new construction area up to 1.5 times the existing area on parcels with risky buildings; area above that may be charged.

1% for homes up to 150 m² net area in Law No. 6306 projects; the portion above 150 m² is subject to the general rate.

A letter confirming the transaction falls under Law No. 6306 is obtained from the Provincial Directorate (or delegated authority) and submitted to the land registry, notary or municipality. A final risky building decision is the basic requirement.

Voting weight comes from the land share on the title deed, not from being a shop. Because decisions are taken by a majority of shares, a shop owner with a large land share has a large influence.

Yes, if the parcel's current zoning allows commercial use on the ground floor and the contract says so. It is not automatic: the shop's position, frontage, net area and ceiling height must be written into the flat-for-land contract and the unit allocation list.

Yes. An owner of a workplace in a risky building vacated by agreement may receive monthly rent assistance for 18 months for risky buildings outside risky areas. A tenant running the shop may receive a one-off payment of twice the monthly amount.

Yes. The first workplace in a risky building gets a TL 437,500 grant and a TL 437,500 loan. The campaign applies to risky buildings in Istanbul and has been extended to 31 December 2027.

If the simple majority of shares is reached, the land share of an owner who does not join is sold by auction, first to the agreeing shareholders and at no less than market value. The market value is set by a Valuation Commission, also taking into account a CMB-licensed appraisal.

Yes. Heirs obtaining a certificate of inheritance and registering the transfer at the land registry speeds things up. Law No. 6306 also empowers the Ministry, TOKİ and the authority to obtain a certificate of inheritance, have a trustee appointed, or act on the basis of the last registered owner.

If the estate is undivided, the heirs own that share jointly and, as a rule, must act together. Any heir may ask the civil court of peace to appoint a representative for the community of heirs (Turkish Civil Code Art. 640). The heirs can also convert the joint ownership into co-ownership so that each votes with their own share.

Yes. Under Article 7 of the 6306 Implementing Regulation, an objection may be filed by the owner or legal representative — or by the heirs if the owner has died — within 15 days of the last day of the notice at the neighbourhood office.

Yes. Under Article 6 of Law No. 6306, mortgages, attachments and other annotations continue on the shares and do not block plot merger, subdivision or condominium registration. In the new building they continue only on the units allocated to that owner.

No. Under Article 15 of the 6306 Implementing Regulation, a pending action to end co-ownership does not prevent a decision by simple majority of shares or acting on that decision.

Once a building is officially designated as risky, the owners decide by a simple majority of the shares. The decision should also set out the main terms of the contract.

Building contractors in Turkey must hold a licence number issued by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change. Ask for the number and licence group and verify them with the ministry's records.

Yes. Under the amendment introduced by Law No. 7471, for areas and parcels within the scope of Law No. 6306 the contractor must take out building completion insurance or provide another prescribed guarantee before obtaining the building permit. The rule took effect on 9 November 2024.

The law does not fix the ratio; it is negotiated according to location, zoning rights, construction cost and market conditions. Compare offers only on the basis of the same project and the same specification.

If there is building completion insurance or another guarantee, that protection applies. That is why the contract must define the guarantee, link title transfers to construction progress and set out termination terms.

There is no official ranking. Assess a contractor on its valid licence, completed projects with occupancy permits, institutional clients, years in business, and its approach to guarantees and contracts. The 10 criteria in this article let you compare.

Check the licence on e-Government, visit several completed buildings with occupancy permits, talk to former clients, verify the founding date in the Trade Registry Gazette and check that the contract includes staged payments, guarantees and delay penalties.

On e-Government's contractor information service, enter the contractor's tax number, ID number or licence number to see whether the licence is valid and its group. A valid licence alone does not prove reliability.

Also look for a transparent feasibility study, payments tied to progress, building completion insurance, written rent and delivery schedules, and command of Law No. 6306 procedures.

The law does not fix it. The parties agree freely based on location, zoning rights, construction cost, sale prices and project size. When comparing offers, consider net area, specification grade and delivery time together with the ratio.

Yes — because it includes a promise to transfer land shares, it should be executed in official form before a notary. Agreements not in this form risk being invalid as regards the property transfer.

The safest approach is to transfer the contractor's shares in stages tied to construction milestones such as foundations, shell completion and occupancy permit. Transferring all shares up front leaves the landowner unprotected if works stop.

If the contract sets delay compensation or rent, the contractor pays it for each month of delay. A termination right after a certain delay should also be written into the contract.

The contractor recovers construction costs by selling its share of units. If zoning is low and little area remains after owners' flats, it asks owners to cover the gap.

There is no fixed legal ratio. The share is agreed by contract based on location, zoning rights, sale prices and construction cost; in valuable districts and high-zoning parcels owners get more.

Only in stages tied to construction progress, under a notarised contract, with building completion insurance or a guarantee provided before the permit.

No. In Law No. 6306 projects, it may sell its units only with the authority's permission and at a rate ten points below the completion rate; higher sales need all owners' consent.

The grant and loan are paid to the contractor on owners' behalf. If costs exceed this, extra payment may arise under the contract; compare offers on the total including the grant.

In two cases: (1) for off-plan housing sales in projects of 30 or more units, the seller must provide building completion insurance or another listed guarantee before selling; (2) in urban transformation projects under Law No. 6306, since 9 November 2024 the contractor must take out the insurance or provide a prescribed guarantee before obtaining the building permit.

There is no mandatory guarantee for off-plan sales in projects under 30 units, but the other consumer rights for prepaid housing sales still apply. In smaller projects protection should be secured contractually, e.g. through staged title transfer or a bank guarantee.

For off-plan housing sales, a bank letter of guarantee, a progress-payment (hakediş) system and a linked-loan guarantee are listed as alternatives; other methods approved by the Ministry may also be accepted.

In a prepaid housing sales contract, delivery may not exceed 48 months from the contract date. The parties may agree on a shorter period, which then becomes binding.

Yes. The consumer may withdraw from a prepaid housing sales contract within 14 days without giving reasons or paying a penalty; payments are refunded within 14 days at the latest.

It depends. Flats can shrink if the plot's current zoning right is lower than the old building's floor area, if the building has unlicensed floors, or if today's parking and common-area rules take up more space. If the zoning right is higher than what the old building used, flats can stay the same or grow.

As a rule, by the land share on the title deed. The area left to the owners — the total buildable area times the owners' share agreed with the contractor — is distributed in proportion to land shares.

Under Article 3 of the Condominium Law, if land shares were not allocated in proportion to the value of the units, any owner may apply to court to have them re-arranged. This should be reviewed with a lawyer before the transformation decision and contract.

No. The new building is licensed under the plot's current zoning plan. Unlicensed floors do not create extra building rights; their owners are entitled in proportion to their land shares, which can reduce the area per flat.

The notarised flat-for-land contract should include an allocation list showing each owner's new unit with net and gross m², floor, orientation and number of rooms, with the preliminary project and specification list attached.

Yes, if conditions are met. Within the demolition period, owners must establish that retrofitting is technically feasible, take a retrofit decision under Article 19 of the Condominium Law, prepare a design and obtain a permit. Afterwards they apply to the Directorate to remove the risky building note from the title deed.

The existing condition (concrete strength, reinforcement, soil) is investigated and a performance analysis carried out under TBDY 2018. Methods include adding reinforced concrete shear walls, column jacketing, FRP wrapping and foundation strengthening.

It depends on the method. For extensive work such as adding shear walls and strengthening foundations, the building is usually vacated.

Under Law No. 6306, retrofit loans may be granted for buildings outside risky and reserve areas that are technically suitable for strengthening, under rules set by the President.

Retrofitting usually has lower direct costs but owners pay all of it and the building does not become new. Under flat-for-land rebuilding, owners often pay less out of pocket. Decide based on a feasibility study.

No city's building stock is uniformly earthquake-proof. Istanbul has many modern buildings designed to recent codes, but also older buildings built before modern codes and inspection. Each building must be assessed individually.

A definitive answer requires an engineering assessment based on concrete cores, reinforcement and soil. Before buying, the permit year, occupancy permit, inspection record, risky building search, soil data and a visual check provide a first screening.

Year alone is no guarantee, but in Istanbul building inspection has been mandatory since 2001 and the 2007 and 2018 codes introduced stricter rules. TBDY 2018 has applied since 1 January 2019.

Buildings without iskân may have unauthorised floors or deviations from the approved design. Structural and legal risks should be examined more carefully.

No. Compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) only provides limited cover for earthquake damage; it says nothing about the building's resistance.

With a risky building assessment by a licensed institution. Once it is final and annotated on the title, owners are called to a meeting and decide by a simple majority of shares. The Bahçelievler Municipality's Urban Transformation Directorate and its neighbourhood liaison offices provide information.

In August 2025 the Mayor of Bahçelievler announced a 15% bonus for owners who merge to 600 m² or more. The exact conditions for your parcel are on its current zoning status certificate.

Yes. The campaign covers risky buildings in Istanbul, and Bahçelievler ranks first in Istanbul for applications. It provides a TL 875,000 grant, a TL 875,000 loan and TL 125,000 moving support per home, and has been extended to 31 December 2027.

The municipality says it allows rooftop rooms (piyes) to be used as a normal floor to prevent floor loss in buildings with older permits. The exact outcome is calculated from the parcel's zoning status and the design.

Yes. Under its İnsaya brand, ÇET Yapı is building İnsaya Bahçelievler, a residential project of four blocks on a podium.

In November 2020 the Istanbul Metropolitan Council approved Güngören Municipality's plan note aimed at encouraging transformation while protecting acquired rights held through earlier building permits and/or occupancy certificates. The exact conditions for your parcel are on its current zoning status certificate.

As elsewhere, it starts with a risky building assessment and continues with a simple majority decision by shares. Because many Merter buildings have commercial use, it is especially important to settle shop and workplace owners' rights and the new commercial units in the contract.

Yes, but feasibility must be built more carefully. Merging with neighbouring parcels, commercial use on the ground floor, Yarısı Bizden grants and loans and an efficient design can improve the sharing ratio for owners.

The area-based transformation in Tozkoparan is carried out by public bodies; at a ceremony in June 2025, 768 homes and 30 workplaces were handed over to rights holders. In such risky-area projects the process differs from building-based transformation, where owners work with their own contractor.

Yes. ÇET Yapı completed Merter İnsaya Residences, 40 homes and 2 shops with a total construction area of 10,494 m² on a 2,332 m² plot, in 15 months in 2015–2016.

It is Üsküdar Municipality's programme for renewing risky buildings. Under conditions announced in December 2024, owners of risky buildings below an income threshold and without other property are eligible for support of 40% to 65% of the renewal cost. Applications are made at uskudaryenileniyor.com.

Under the announced conditions: owners of risky buildings with household income below 3 net minimum wages, residing in Üsküdar, with no other property in Istanbul in their own, their spouse's or dependants' names, who have reached agreement for transformation. Up to 2 minimum wages, 60% of the cost is supported (65% for retirees); up to 3, 40% (45% for retirees).

Under the rapid screening run with IMM, municipal teams inspected buildings free of charge. Rapid screening is a preliminary assessment; for an official result under Law No. 6306, a risky building assessment by a licensed institution is required.

Yes, but in Bosphorus-front neighbourhoods such as Kandilli, Çengelköy, Kuzguncuk and Beylerbeyi, zoning rules specific to the Bosphorus area apply, and conservation law applies in historic areas. The new building's size and appearance follow those rules; get the current zoning status and, where needed, the conservation board's opinion before design.

Yes. ÇET Yapı built the TED Üsküdar College campus in Kandilli, Üsküdar, with a total construction area of 19,233 m² on a 5,546 m² plot, between 2018 and 2022.

With a risky-building assessment by a licensed firm. Once it is final and noted on the title deed, the owners are called to a meeting and decide by a simple majority of shares. A feasibility study is then prepared on the plot's current zoning status and a contractor is chosen.

According to Bakırköy Municipality, the Istanbul Metropolitan Council unanimously approved a plan change allowing plot-by-plot renewal without a plot-merger requirement in Kartaltepe, Zeytinlik, Osmaniye, Cevizlik, Sakızağacı, Yenimahalle and Zuhuratbaba. The exact building conditions for your plot are stated in its current zoning status document.

Under Article 15 of the 6306 Implementing Regulation, if a plot has several buildings and all are risky, all co-owners of the plot decide by simple majority of shares. If only some are risky, only the owners of the risky buildings decide, by simple majority of their shares.

Yes. Under Istanbul's 'Yarısı Bizden' campaign, owners of risky buildings can receive a grant of 875,000 TL, a loan of 875,000 TL and 125,000 TL of relocation support per home. Bakırköy Municipality also signed an urban transformation protocol with KİPTAŞ in November 2024.

Yes. ÇET Yapı completed the Yeşilköy Ateş Residence as an urban transformation project in 20 months, built the Florya Doğa College and Bakırköy Bahçeşehir College buildings, and designed residential projects in Yeşilköy.

Yes. Buildings with a risky-building report can be redeveloped under Law No. 6306 with a decision by a simple majority of owners by land share. The size of the new project depends on the plot's current zoning status and plan decisions.

In neighbourhoods within the Bosphorus area such as Bebek, Ortaköy, Arnavutköy and Kuruçeşme, building conditions are limited by the Bosphorus Law and related plans, and listed buildings also require Conservation Council procedures. Zoning and conservation status must be clarified before feasibility.

Under the Ministry's 'Yarısı Bizden' campaign, owners can receive a 875,000 TL grant, 875,000 TL loan and 125,000 TL relocation support per home, until 31 December 2027.

Yes. ÇET Yapı carried out the renovation of Beşiktaş Geo College in 2018. The company provides feasibility, design and turnkey construction for urban transformation projects in Beşiktaş and Istanbul's other prime districts.

First obtain the risky-building report and the owners' decision, then prepare a feasibility study based on the parcel's zoning status. Compare offers on the same feasibility, checking the ministry licence, completed references, financial strength and building completion insurance.

Plots along Bağdat Avenue are usually small, which limits parking, floor plans and buildable area. Acting together with neighbouring plots or block-based solutions can produce more efficient projects.

Yes. Under the Ministry's 'Yarısı Bizden' (Half From Us) campaign for Istanbul, owners of risky buildings can receive a 875,000 TL grant, 875,000 TL loan and 125,000 TL relocation support per home; the campaign runs until 31 December 2027.

Yes. ÇET Yapı provides feasibility, design and turnkey construction for urban transformation projects in Kadıköy and Istanbul's other prime districts.

According to Endeksa data for January 2026, the districts with the highest average housing prices are Beşiktaş (152,498 TL/m²), Kadıköy (150,885 TL) and Sarıyer (145,655 TL). Bakırköy (110,484 TL) and Üsküdar (93,832 TL) are also high-value districts.

Because sale values are high, the same construction cost creates stronger feasibility, leaving room for a better sharing ratio for owners, higher-grade materials and larger common areas.

ÇET Yapı provides feasibility, design and turnkey construction for urban transformation projects across Istanbul, particularly in Beşiktaş (Etiler, Levent, Ulus), Kadıköy (Caddebostan, Suadiye, Göztepe, Erenköy), Sarıyer (Tarabya, Yeniköy, İstinye), Bakırköy (Yeşilköy, Florya, Ataköy), Üsküdar and Şişli.

Under the Ministry's 'Yarısı Bizden' campaign in Istanbul, owners of risky buildings can receive a 875,000 TL grant, 875,000 TL loan and 125,000 TL relocation support per home; the campaign runs until 31 December 2027.