27.08.2026 15:20
The use of balconies, which concerns millions of tenants and landlords living in apartment buildings and complexes, is back on the agenda. The preservation of the building's external appearance, which has also been the subject of Court of Cassation rulings, can cause certain practices on balconies to turn into legal disputes. In particular, laundry hanging over the balcony edge, water dripping onto the lower floor, and practices that affect the building's architectural appearance can lead to disagreements between neighbors that may be taken to court.
The Court of Cassation's ruling has brought discussions about balcony use in apartment buildings and complexes back to the agenda. Under the Condominium Law, while the exterior appearance of the main structure must be preserved, some practices carried out on balconies can also be subject to legal disputes in this context.
In particular, homeowners and tenants need to be careful about hanging laundry in a way that extends beyond the balcony.
EXTERIOR APPEARANCE DETAIL IN COURT OF CASSATION DECISIONS
Article 19 of the Condominium Law states that condominium owners are obliged to take care of the maintenance of the main property and to preserve its architectural condition, beauty, and solidity.
In the Court of Cassation's decisions regarding condominium ownership, preserving the architectural condition and exterior appearance of the main structure is also important.
For this reason, even if the balcony is part of one's independent section, some interventions affecting the exterior facade can cease to be a matter concerning only the apartment owner.
HANGING LAUNDRY ON THE BALCONY CAN LEAD TO LEGAL ACTION
Drying laundry inside the balcony and hanging laundry over the balcony railings, affecting the building's exterior appearance, are not evaluated in the same way.
If laundry hanging outside or mechanisms placed outside the balcony affect the architectural appearance of the building, the matter can be taken to a legal process upon neighbors' objections. The penalty costs arising in this process can reach up to approximately 20,000 liras.
Additionally, situations such as water dripping from the hung laundry onto the independent section on the lower floor can also cause disputes among neighbors.
It is not necessary for all residents to complain simultaneously about a situation occurring in the apartment building. According to the news on Memurlar.net, even a single condominium owner who believes their rights have been violated can apply to legal means to end the relevant practice.
However, it should be noted that a single complaint does not automatically mean a fine or a prohibition decision. The court evaluates the specifics of the concrete case, the building's management plan, and the impact of the practice on other independent sections.