Urban Transformation Rent Assistance in Türkiye (2026): Amounts, Duration, Eligibility and Tenants' Rights

An owner whose risky building is evacuated or demolished may receive TRY 8,000 a month in Istanbul and TRY 6,500 in Ankara, Antalya, Bursa and Izmir, and for risky buildings the assistance lasts 18 months. Tenants and holders of limited real rights receive a one-off payment instead. There is a one-year period to apply, and if it is missed the assistance may be lost.

In this article we explain to whom state rent assistance is paid in urban transformation, how much and for how long, where and within what period to apply, the difference between rent assistance and interest support, and how it relates to the rent paid by the contractor.

Who Is Eligible for Rent Assistance?

Law No. 6306 provides that temporary housing or business premises, or rent assistance, may be given to the owners and tenants of buildings evacuated by agreement, and to holders of limited real rights provided that they live in the building. The Implementing Regulation divides this assistance into three groups:

• Owners: Receive monthly rent assistance from the date of evacuation or demolition. Where possible, temporary housing or business premises may be allocated instead until the new units are delivered.
• Tenants: Those living in the building as tenants, and tenants operating a business there, may receive a one-off payment equal to twice the monthly amount paid to owners.
• Holders of limited real rights and caretakers: Those living in or operating a business in the building as holders of a limited real right (for example, a usufruct), and caretakers living in the caretaker's flat, may receive a one-off payment equal to five times the monthly amount.

The precondition for assistance is that the building has been determined to be a risky building under Law No. 6306. Special rules based on Council of Ministers Decision No. 2016/8663 also apply to those who use a building without being its owner, tenant or holder of a limited real right, and to owners of informal dwellings.

Rent Assistance Amounts in 2026

The monthly amount is set by the Urban Transformation Presidency. The province-based amounts applied by the Ministry since the start of 2025, still in force as of September 2026, and the one-off payments calculated from them are as follows:

The one-off amounts are calculated by applying the two-times and five-times ratios in art. 16 of the Implementing Regulation to the monthly amount. Since the Presidency may update the amounts, they should be confirmed with the relevant institution when applying.

For How Many Months Is Rent Assistance Paid?

• Risky buildings (outside risky areas): Owners receive monthly payments for 18 months. In Istanbul, this amounts to TRY 144,000 in total.
• Risky areas and reserve building areas: The period is set by the institution running the project and cannot exceed 48 months.

For risky buildings, payments are made directly to the owner's bank account or to the Administration's account for payment to those entitled. If the financial position of the Transformation Projects Special Account allows, the Presidency may decide to pay up to one year of rent assistance in advance.

Where and When to Apply

The application must be made within one year of the date of evacuation or of the demolition of the risky building. Where to apply depends on the status of the building:

• Risky buildings: The Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change in the province where the building is located or, if the Presidency has delegated its authority, the relevant Administration (municipality).
• Risky areas and reserve building areas: The institution running the project.

Applications can also be made through the e-Government Gateway (e-Devlet). The required information and documents are set by the Presidency; in practice, applicants are asked for identity details, the title deed record, information on the risky building determination, bank account details and, for tenants, the lease agreement and a residence record showing that they lived in the building. Confirm the current list with the institution you apply to.

Rent Assistance or Interest Support?

Under the Law, interest support may also be provided from the Transformation Projects Special Account for bank loans used to finance the new building. For this, a loan application must be made to a bank that has signed a protocol with the Presidency within three years at the latest of the date of evacuation or demolition.

The two forms of support cannot be combined: a person receiving rent assistance cannot benefit from interest support, and a person receiving interest support cannot benefit from rent assistance. For an owner who will finance the new building with a loan, interest support may be more advantageous than rent assistance; compare the total value of both options before choosing.

How It Differs From Rent Paid by the Contractor

In flat-for-land construction contracts, the contractor often undertakes to pay rent to the owners during construction. This payment is independent of state rent assistance and is based entirely on the contract. The contract should therefore clearly cover the following:

• The monthly rent amount, the basis for increases and the payment schedule,
• The date on which payments start and that they continue until delivery,
• That rent payments continue if construction is delayed,
• The sanction and the security that apply if payments are not made.

Under the Implementing Regulation, even if the contract is terminated, rent payments made by the contractor to those entitled before the termination date cannot be reclaimed from them.

Common Mistakes

• Missing the one-year period: The most common reason for losing the right.
• Delaying evacuation: The Law and the Implementing Regulation provide rent assistance for buildings evacuated by agreement. Where a building is not evacuated within the period given and is evacuated by the administration, problems may arise regarding the assistance. We discuss the position of owners who do not join the majority decision in our article on dissenting owners in urban transformation.
• Taking rent assistance without considering interest support: Since the two cannot be combined, the choice should be made at the outset.
• Leaving the contractor's rent undertaking unwritten: A rent undertaking that is not written into the contract is harder to prove and to collect.

If Your Application Is Rejected

The rejection of a rent assistance application is an administrative act. An annulment action against the rejection may be filed before the administrative court within 30 days of notification. Ask for the reasons for the rejection in writing and do not miss the deadline; documents showing that the application was made in time and that the conditions were met are decisive in the action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

In urban transformation, rent assistance is paid monthly to owners whose risky building is evacuated or demolished, and as a one-off payment to tenants and holders of limited real rights. In 2026 the amounts vary by province group, starting from TRY 8,000 a month in Istanbul, and for risky buildings the assistance lasts 18 months. What matters most is applying within one year of evacuation or demolition and making an informed choice between rent assistance and interest support.