How do you apply to a consumer arbitration committee?
How to file a free claim with a consumer arbitration committee through e-Devlet when the seller will not fix a faulty product or service.
Short answer
Put your demand to the seller in writing first. If no answer comes, log in at turkiye.gov.tr and search for "Tüketici Şikayeti Başvurusu". In the Consumer Information System (TÜBİS) that opens, click "Yeni Başvuru", complete the steps, attach your invoice and correspondence, then press "Başvuruyu Gönder". The application is free and you follow it under "Başvurularım".
What you need
Step by step
Collect the documents in one folder
Put the invoice or order summary, warranty document, payment receipt and photos of the defect into a single folder on your computer. The upload screen applies size and format limits, so keep photos legible but reasonably small. A demand with no supporting document is hard to prove.
Write to the seller
State the defect, exactly what you want (refund, replacement, repair, price reduction) and a deadline, then send it to the seller. Choose a channel that leaves proof: e-mail, registered electronic mail (KEP) or recorded delivery post. This exchange is the strongest attachment in your file.
Identify the competent body
The monetary size of the dispute decides the venue: the District Consumer Arbitration Committee (at the kaymakamlık), the Provincial Consumer Arbitration Committee (at the Provincial Trade Directorate), or the consumer court directly. You can apply where you live or where the transaction took place. Verify the current monetary limit on the Ministry of Trade's TÜBİS page.
Open TÜBİS from e-Devlet
Go to turkiye.gov.tr and verify your identity with "Giriş Yap" at the top right. Type "Tüketici Şikayeti Başvurusu" in the search box and pick the Ministry of Trade service. On the Consumer Information System (TÜBİS) screen you land on, press "Yeni Başvuru".
Fill in the application form
Keep the address, phone and e-mail fields under "Başvuru Sahibi Bilgileri" current, because official notices go there. Under "Şikayet Edilen Bilgileri" enter the company name, tax number or trade title. In "Şikayet Konusu" and "Talep", tell the events in order and write plainly what you want.
Upload the documents and submit
Use "Belge Ekle" to upload the invoice, correspondence and photos one by one. On the summary screen check the company details, claim amount and attachments, then press "Başvuruyu Gönder". Note the application number shown or download the receipt.
Track the file and answer the defence
Follow the status under "Başvurularım" in TÜBİS. The committee asks the other side for a defence; if it requests extra information or documents from you, watch your e-Devlet notifications and e-mail and reply in time. Missing documents are the most common reason a file drags on.
Enforce the decision or object to it
The decision is served on you formally. If a decision in your favour is not honoured, you can take it to the enforcement office and start enforcement proceedings. If you disagree with the decision, you may object at the consumer court where you live; the objection period runs from the date of service.
Tips
Watch out
Consumer arbitration committees can only hear disputes up to a monetary ceiling, and that ceiling is updated every year. Claims above the limit have to go straight to the consumer court, and applying to the wrong body only costs you time. Confirm the current limit and the competent committee with the Ministry of Trade or the kaymakamlık before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
+Do I have to hire a lawyer to apply?
No. You can file the arbitration committee application yourself; a lawyer is not required. You may still apply through a representative if you prefer.
+Is there a fee for the application?
Applying to a consumer arbitration committee is free. You pay no stamp duty or application charge, whether you file through e-Devlet or in person.
+Must I contact the seller first?
It is not imposed as a strict precondition, but correspondence showing you wrote to the seller and got no answer noticeably strengthens your file.
+What if I do not know the company's address?
Use the trade title and tax number from the invoice, the contract, or the site's "Contact" and distance sales agreement pages. In TÜBİS you can search for the company by title or tax number.
+The decision favours me but the company will not pay. Now what?
An arbitration committee decision has the force of a court judgment. With a copy of it you can apply to the enforcement office, start proceedings and collect the debt through enforcement.
Sources and verification
Last verified: 12 Eylül 2026. tell us. Applies to Türkiye; procedures and monetary limits are set by the Ministry of Trade.
This content is for information only; for official procedures the relevant institution’s current announcements take precedence. Details: disclaimer.