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Everything to check before you view, while you are there, and before you sign. Tick items as you go, flag anything that needs following up.
Turkish rental contracts are governed by the Turkish Code of Obligations. As a tenant you have more rights than many expats realize. Landlords cannot increase rent by more than the 12-month average CPI rate at renewal, they cannot evict you without cause during a fixed-term contract, and they must return your deposit within a reasonable time after you leave, provided you have not caused damage beyond normal wear and tear.
Aidat is the monthly building management fee paid to the site management (yönetim). It covers shared costs: cleaning, elevator maintenance, security, garden, and sometimes hot water and heating depending on the building. Always confirm the aidat amount before agreeing to rent. It can add 10 to 25 percent to your effective monthly cost in newer or managed buildings.
DASK is compulsory earthquake insurance in Turkey. Every property is legally required to have it. As a tenant you are not responsible for taking it out; that is the owner's obligation. Confirm it is in place. If the building is damaged in an earthquake and the owner has no DASK, the legal situation becomes complicated for everyone.
Get everything in writing. Verbal agreements about included furniture, repairs, aidat responsibility or deposit return timelines are very difficult to enforce later. If a landlord agrees to fix something before you move in, put it in the contract as a condition of signing.