Istanbul - Hosts need to be registered or guests get 10 minutes to leave, and passports taken.

David2521
Level 1
Southampton, United Kingdom

Istanbul - Hosts need to be registered or guests get 10 minutes to leave, and passports taken.

Hi everyone

 

I have just booked a month in Istanbul.

 

This morning I have been informed that all airbnb hosts in Istanbul need to have a Tourism Operation License, everyone in the building must be told and agree, and a declaration needs to be made to the tax office.

 

If this has not been done, the police can arrive, take guest passports and make the guest leave the property within 10 minutes.

 

I have examples of this happening to guests, and they claim they did not receive any support from airbnb. I have personally had this problem in Singapore and do not wish to repeat it again. I have stayed in many places where it is not allowed, but the host never says until after I arrive, when it is too late, and they tell me to say I am a friend coming to visit. It's an uncomfortable situation.

 

Can anyone confirm the law in Istanbul?

Does the host need to have a Tourism Operation License?
Do they need to be registered with the tax office?
Do all the people in the building need to know?

 

Has anyone had this happen to them?

 

What does airbnb say about this, and why is this information not given on the host's page?

 

Thanks
Dave

18 Replies 18
Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

@David2521  When host operates with disregard of regulations it reflects poorly on all hosts, right?  As a guest, I make the assumption that the host is on the up and up, but given your experience, I will not be so trusting.  I am pretty sure Air BNB is not able to proactively guarantee that a listing is legitimate so I wonder what a guest can do to confirm it is legit.  As a host, I post my short term rental city registration number so a guest knows I am registered in my city.  

 

 

Can2
Level 2
London, United Kingdom

Hi David,

 

I have been hosting on airbnb since 2014 and yes airbnb is regulated in istanbul! 

 

If the host is subletting the property, they must pay rent tax which is 25% of the total rent paid per month every 3 months. They also must issue an invoice on the gross booking amount and pay 8% vat every month.

 

Guests can know whether the host is hosting legally if the host asks for all the guests passports. All hosts must register all passports of the guests staying with the police just like hotels are required to do so if they don’t be very sceptic in renting out that property. 

 

They also must be renting the property as a company and get the permission from both the landlord and other tenants in the building. As they rent as a company they also must pay corporate tax every year. 

 

If one of these cases are not fulfilled sooner or later the police, municipality and the ministry of finance have the right to shutdown the premises for tax evasion. 

 

Ps. All my properties on my profile are legal. I cater to small and large groups if you are interested check my profile through this link

 

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/users/21533965/listings

 

 

 

 

Hi Can,

I have an apartment in Esenyurt Istanbul and I would like list it in Airbnb, can we work together to achieve that?

Hi Mohamed, dıd you manage to lıst your apartment on Airbnb. ı am postıng 3 rooms ın my flat ( ı leave ın the same flat )  what do ı need? ı thınk we need to send guest ınfo to our local police dept. how about taxes? 

thanks in advance for your help. 

@Mohamed508 

Hi Mohamed, dıd you manage to lıst your apartment on Airbnb. ı am postıng 3 rooms ın my flat ( ı leave ın the same flat )  what do ı need? ı thınk we need to send guest ınfo to our local police dept. how about taxes? 

thanks in advance for your help. 

I can help you 

+905528833886

 

Merhaba Muhammet, ben size yardımcı olabilirim. sevgikiracc@gmail.com dan iletişime geçebilirsiniz.

Sibtain1
Level 1
England, United Kingdom

@Can2 

 

Hi Can

 

I've booked a property on Airbnb in Istanbul but the host has informed me that I need to sign a document, in Turkish, upon arrival. He says it's a type of rental agreement which also confirms that I am not carrying any explosives etc.!

 

Is this a legitimate requirement?

 

Regards

 

Sib

 

David2521
Level 1
Southampton, United Kingdom

Signing a document, even in a language you do not understand, is still a legally binding document, at least in that country.

 

At the very least I would want to be translating it for peace of mind. Get him to send you a copy before you go, gives you time. If I had nothing else perhaps even with MS Translator app , taking multiple photos to suit the size of text. I'll admit I've only used to to translate Greek washing machine labels, but it worked very well.

@Sibtain1 request that document over email, go to google translat, select option "documents", upload and translate. 

IF your stay exceeds certain duration - rental agreement must be signed 

thank you for this information, why Airbnb doesn’t let us know, there is such a rule for hostes in Airbnb? They just canceled on me this morning , my trip is next Tuesday.

Haroon8
Level 2
İstanbul, Turkey

Do we need a company of rental hosting as well ? And how do we need to register guests at police is there any online software 

Dimitar27
Level 10
Sofia, Bulgaria

I can confirm this, because our system is 90% the same.


Can anyone confirm the law in Istanbul? Yes, you must provide you ID data to the host or fill a special form with your name, adress, some ID/Passport data.

Does the host need to have a Tourism Operation License? Defintely YES! The license protects both sides, actuallly. Some minimal requrements are stated.
Do they need to be registered with the tax office? YES-because hosting is treated like a business activity.
Do all the people in the building need to know? YES, it's a part of the licensing process. Neighbors must agree, that you can make business in the property. It's the same rule about any kind of business, including hosting.

Hello.

Do you know who I should report to,  in case I find out my host is doing the activity illegally? 

Is there any office I can maybe contact online, if I'm not in Turkey anymore?