What should you check when signing a rental contract?
A step-by-step guide to verifying the title deed, ID, deposit and termination clauses before you sign a rental contract.
Short answer
Verify from the title deed who actually owns the property, then match the ID card against the name on the contract. Put the rent, the increase measure, the deposit amount and refund terms, and who pays building dues and utilities in writing. Attach a fixtures list and meter readings, and take photos. Sign two copies, initial every page, and pay by bank transfer marked "rent".
What you need
Step by step
Verify the owner
Check the title deed record to confirm that the person signing really owns the property. The owner can open the "Tapu Bilgilerim" service under "Tapu ve Kadastro Genel Müdürlüğü" on e-Devlet from their own account, or give you a photocopy of the deed. If an agent or representative is letting the place, do not sign without seeing a notarised power of attorney or authorisation letter.
Match the ID to the contract
Fill in full name, national ID number, address and phone in both the "landlord" and "tenant" sections. Hold the other party's ID document in your hand and compare the name, surname and ID number letter by letter with the contract. Where a property has several co-owners, either all of them sign or one holds authority for the rest.
Write the rent, increase and payment method
State the monthly rent in both words and figures, and name the payment day and method. Add a clause saying which measure the renewal increase follows, such as the consumer price index average, so there is nothing to argue about later. Prefer bank transfer over cash and write the relevant month plus the word "rent" in the reference field.
Pin down deposit and dues clauses
Have the contract state the deposit amount, who it is paid to and how, and under which conditions and when it is returned. List item by item whether building dues, heating fuel, fixture repair costs and shared complex expenses fall to the tenant or the landlord. Paying the deposit by bank transfer with "deposit" in the reference makes it far easier to prove later.
Add the fixtures list and meter readings
Write the boiler, air conditioner, built-in oven, cupboards and similar items into the "fixtures" section or an annex, with brand and condition. Note the electricity, water and gas meter readings and copy them into the second contract copy too. Photograph the rooms, the wet areas and any existing damage; these records end the "it wasn't like that before" argument at move-out.
Read the term, termination and eviction clauses
Read how long the contract runs, whether it renews automatically at the end of the term, and what happens if you leave early. If you are asked to sign a separate blank page called an eviction undertaking, do not sign it, because it is used to make a later eviction easier. Do not hesitate to add clauses on pets, subletting and permission to paint or renovate.
Sign, initial and keep a copy
Prepare two copies, have both parties initial every page, and complete the last page with full name and signature. Leave no blank lines; cross out any unused space. Take one copy into your hands immediately after signing, then scan it and keep a digital copy as well.
Transfer utilities and update your address
Put the electricity, water and gas subscriptions in your own name using the contract and your ID, and ask during registration whether any old debt remains. Then update your registered residence with "Adres Değişikliği Bildirimi" under the civil registry services on e-Devlet. Correct address registration is what makes bills and official notices reach you.
Tips
Watch out
The most common mistake is signing an undated or blank eviction undertaking together with the contract. That document can be filled in later and used as grounds for an eviction claim. Likewise, never sign with someone who only claims ownership verbally, without seeing the title deed record; you risk meeting the real owner after the deposit is already paid.
Frequently asked questions
+Does a rental contract have to be signed at a notary?
No, a written contract signed by both parties is valid. Notarisation is not required, but it reduces later objections about the signatures or the content.
+How can I tell whether the landlord is really the owner?
You need to look at the title deed record. Ask for the record the owner can pull from the "Tapu Bilgilerim" service on e-Devlet, or a photocopy of the deed; if you are dealing with a representative, see the notarised power of attorney.
+What can I do if the deposit is not returned?
The deposit clause in the contract plus your bank payment record are your strongest evidence. Send a written demand first; if that fails, mediation and a civil court of peace claim are the legal routes.
+How much can the rent increase be?
The increase rate is subject to a legal ceiling that changes over time. Have the contract state which measure the increase follows, and confirm the current limit at the time you sign.
+Who pays the building dues, the tenant or the owner?
Whatever the contract says applies. In common practice routine shared expenses go to the tenant while major repairs and capital works stay with the owner; write this into a clause explicitly.
Sources and verification
Last verified: September 15, 2026. tell us. Written for Türkiye: references e-Devlet services, land registry records and the civil court of peace. Procedures and legal ceilings differ in other countries.
This content is for information only; for official procedures the relevant institution’s current announcements take precedence. Details: disclaimer.