"The membership fee has surpassed the rent, and those who heard the amount were left in shock."

It has been revealed that the site fee in a complex located in Üsküdar, Istanbul, has increased to 54,000 TL, surpassing even the rental price in the site. The increase in site fees in some complexes in Istanbul continues to cause outrage. A doctor named B.Y. rented a villa in Üsküdar, Istanbul, three years ago. When B.Y. first moved in, they agreed on a rent of 20,000 TL, and there was no fee mentioned in the contract. After the site fee rose to 54,000 TL, B.Y. sought legal advice.

STARTED COLLECTING 500 TL FOR STAIR CLEANING

B.Y., who rented a villa in a boutique complex and stated that there was no site fee during their rental period, was shocked when the site later demanded a fee of 54,000 TL. B.Y. filed a complaint regarding the increased fee of 54,000 TL. According to a special report by CNN Türk, about a year ago, both the manager and the owner of the property started collecting 500 TL for the cleaning of the stairs.

REQUESTED TO PAY A FEE HIGHER THAN RENT

As of July 2024, B.Y. started paying a fee of 12,500 TL and was taken aback by a notice that arrived at their home. The amount demanded by the site suddenly increased to 54,750 TL.

B.Y., who was asked to pay a fee higher than their rent, stated that the complex they live in does not have an indoor parking lot or a pool, saying, "This could really be the site with the highest fees in Turkey. My fee will be more than the rent I pay. There is no indoor parking, no pool, no sauna, no amenities at all. There was an agreement made with just one person for a day, and the stairs were cleaned once. A site meeting was held without informing me, and I was told that the fee was set at 12,500 TL. It was decided to collect a total of 219,000 TL monthly for expenses like watering the garden. 54,750 TL is a very utopian figure. If I were to hire security per person, I could probably do it for less than 54,000 TL," they said.

LAWSUIT CAN BE FILED AGAINST TENANTS WHO DO NOT PAY FEES

On the other hand, according to the Condominium Law, each of the property owners must contribute equally to the apartment fees unless otherwise agreed among themselves. A lawsuit can be filed by the manager against a tenant who does not pay the fee, or enforcement proceedings can be initiated. A monthly interest rate of five percent can even be requested on the debt.