Managing your property in Turkey remotely: who looks after your apartment while you are at home

You buy an apartment in Trabzon, spend the summer there, then go back home. What happens to the apartment for the other ten months? Who pays the bills? Who spots a water leak before it ruins the floor? That is remote property management, and it is what makes owning in another country comfortable rather than a burden.

What does your property need while you are away?

Financial obligations

• Annual property tax in two instalments. See the property tax guide.
• Monthly maintenance fees to the building management.
• Bills with fixed charges even if you use nothing.
• Renewing the earthquake insurance every year. See the DASK guide.

Caring for the apartment

• Regular visits: airing, checking for leaks and damp, running the water.
• Before winter: checking the heating and windows, especially in rainy Trabzon.
• Before you arrive: cleaning and getting it ready.

Letting, if you wish

• Finding a tenant, drawing up the contract and taking the deposit.
• Collecting the rent and following up on maintenance.
• See the guide to long-term letting.

How to choose a property manager?

1. A written agreement that defines the services precisely.
2. Clear fees: a fixed amount for management, or a percentage of the rent for letting.
3. Regular reports: a monthly statement of payments and receipts, and photos after every visit.
4. Local presence: a team in the same city, not an office in another one.
5. References: other owners whose properties they manage.

Power of attorney: limited and specific

The manager may need an official power of attorney for some procedures. Keep it limited to management: utility subscriptions, the municipality and letting. Do not include sale or mortgage. We explain how to word powers of attorney in the guide to buying by power of attorney.

Money under your control

• A bank account in your name: set up automatic payment for taxes and bills, and have the rent paid straight into your account.
• The manager pays from a dedicated account with a limited balance that you top up, if they need to cover small expenses.
• No large transfers without receipts.

Tools that help from a distance

• e-Devlet (the government’s online portal): shows your property and any debts to the municipality and the tax office.
• Your banking app: for bills and transfers.
• The electricity, water and gas companies’ apps in your city.

Summary

A property without management quietly piles up debt and damage. A good manager with a written agreement, a limited power of attorney, an account in your name and regular reports makes owning in Turkey comfortable even when you are thousands of kilometres away.

Managing our clients’ properties is part of our after-sales services in Trabzon and Istanbul. Contact us.