Good news for tenants: The new application may prevent exorbitant rent increases.

The application for preparing rental agreements through the E-Government system was launched in recent weeks. It is stated that with the application, which went into effect on November 4, excessive price increase pressure and tax loss can be prevented.

WILL BECOME MANDATORY

Real estate law expert lawyer Ali Güvenç Kiraz, who spoke to Habertürk about the new application, stated that the application is not mandatory in the first phase, but it will become mandatory with the transition to the second phase.

LISTED ADVANTAGES

Kiraz, who stated that the application has created new advantages for tenants, said, "With the rental agreement being made through the e-Government system, the property owner or tenant can make an agreement without physically meeting. For example, a citizen living abroad can rent out their house in Turkey through the e-Government system without coming to Turkey or giving power of attorney to anyone. They will create a contract on the government platform without time and document costs. Additionally, citizens will be relieved of the burden of submitting rental agreements to institutions," he stated.

CAN PREVENT EXCESSIVE PRICE INCREASES

"The system where rental agreements are not made and payments are made in cash carries many risks for tenants, in addition to tax loss," said Kiraz. "In cases where a rental agreement is not signed, the tenant is practically at the mercy of the property owner. They cannot open subscriptions for electricity, water, and natural gas in their name, and they have to accept demands for increases above the legal rate during the rental increase period. However, if the agreement is through the e-Government system, both basic services can be easily obtained, and the pressure on the landlord to demand increases above the legal rate will be eliminated. Or, if needed, evidence will be created in favor of the tenant during the legal process," he stated.

Kiraz also mentioned, "One of the most important advantages of the new era will be the creation of a 'regional value map.' The ages, locations, and all internal and external characteristics of the properties will be known, and average rental values will be determined. With regional values, both tax loss will be prevented, and decisions in rental determination lawsuits arising from disputes between landlords and tenants will be made more easily. Perhaps these values will be used without waiting for the expert to determine the market rent, and the lawsuit processes that can take 2-3 years will be accelerated. It is also worth noting that courts sometimes have difficulty accessing rental agreements in disputes arising from rental agreements. At this point, rental agreements signed through the e-Government system will be easily accessible as clear evidence," he added.