Attention for Homeowners and Tenants: New Era in Rental Contracts

Prof. Dr. Harun Tanrıvermiş, Head of the Department of Real Estate Development and Management at Ankara University’s Faculty of Applied Sciences, stated that with the implementation of the e-rental contract system, rent payments could be monitored via the e-Government portal, and excessive rent increases could be detected. He emphasized that this would help prevent exorbitant rent hikes.

In an interview with an AA reporter, Tanrıvermiş provided insights into the e-rental contract system. He recalled that the Ministry of Treasury and Finance reported that the number of homeowners who declared their rental income in 2023 was 1.8 million. However, approximately 3.7 million homeowners did not submit a minimum declaration.

Tanrıvermiş noted that rental agreements were now expected to be conducted electronically through the e-Government portal, making the housing market more transparent and reliable as contracts were digitized.

He pointed out that with the Centralized Rental Tracking System, it would be easier to monitor and review contract terms in the event of rental disputes. He outlined the advantages of the e-rental contract as follows:

– Integrating rental agreements into the Centralized Tracking System will establish a more transparent market for both homeowners and tenants.

– It will prevent rental agreements from remaining off the books.

– It will make it easier for public authorities and experts to examine rental properties and detect excessive rent increases.

– It will provide more accurate and reliable data on rent, vacancy rates, and fees in the housing market.

– Recording leased properties will allow for the easier identification of homeowners who need to be taxed based on the rental income threshold or the comparable rent value. This will enable a more rational taxation of real estate capital income, leading to a significant increase in tax revenues.

“Rental Processes Will Be Accelerated”

Tanrıvermiş highlighted that digitizing rental agreements would speed up processes and make real estate investments more attractive. He added:

“With the regulation, the contract between the tenant and the homeowner should be made directly by the homeowner or an authorized real estate consultant via the e-Government portal using the online deed connection. Tenants and guarantors should also be able to sign electronically. To implement rental agreements through the e-Government portal, new legislative arrangements are needed. It should be possible for guarantors to sign electronically instead of with a wet signature if the owner requests it, and the deposit amount should be specified in the contract.”

Tanrıvermiş pointed out the need for property type changed during the transition period, stating that approximately 7 million properties had not yet undergone type changes. This could prevent contracts from being prepared directly by the owner or a responsible consultant authorized through the e-Government portal.

He emphasized that “being able to view rental prices through the system would provide tenants and homeowners with accurate and up-to-date information about market conditions in their areas. Additionally, monitoring rental prices through the e-Government system will enable the detection of excessive increases and necessary interventions, helping to prevent exorbitant rent hikes.”

“The Security and Confidentiality of Uploaded Contracts Must Be Ensured”

Tanrıvermiş stressed the importance of adhering to a specific framework to ensure the process was healthy and effective. He stated:

“A certain timeframe should be given for the registration of rental agreements in the system. Legal and administrative penalties should be clearly defined for contracts not uploaded within the specified period. The security and confidentiality of uploaded contracts must be ensured. Personal data should be protected and accessible only to authorized persons. An electronically signed official copy of the contract should be stored, and both parties should have access to this copy. At the end of the contract period, it should be mandatory to upload new contracts to the e-Government system in the same way.”