Kentkuran Hukuk
KENTKURAN
HUKUK
Category IReal Estate Law

Real Estate Law Law

Real estate law covers a broad range of areas — the land registry, lease relationships, condominium ownership, zoning legislation and construction contracts — and is one of the most frequently invoked fields of practice. The articles in this section are prepared in the light of current legislation and the case law of the Court of Cassation, addressing both practitioners and readers whose work brings them into contact with the law.

10 articlesWith statutory referencesAll Categories
LatestAction for Cancellation of Title Deed and Re-registration: Conditions, Time Limits and Procedure22 April 2026
24 February 2026

Action for Partition of Common Property (İzale-i Şuyu): Partition in Kind and Sale

Termination of co-ownership

How is a partition action filed, and what is the difference between partition in kind and partition by sale? Application under TMK m.698 et seq.

In an immovable held in co-ownership, any co-owner may at any time request the partition of the common property. TMK m.698 provides that 'unless there is a legal impediment, each co-owner may at any time request the termination of joint ownership.'

Parties and Competent Court

A partition action is brought by one or more co-owners against all other co-owners. The competent court is the Civil Court of Peace (Sulh Hukuk Mahkemesi); the venue is the court of the place where the immovable is situated.

If there is no valid legal impediment to partition and all co-owners are joined, the court assesses the partition request. Failing agreement, partition is effected either in kind or by sale.

Partition in Kind or by Sale?

Under TMK m.699, partition is effected by dividing the property in kind. Where partition in kind is not possible, or would cause a significant reduction in value, partition by sale is ordered.

Whether partition in kind is possible is investigated by experts; zoning legislation, parcel size and the condition of the structures are decisive factors. Apartment-type properties in city centres are often impossible to partition in kind, leading to partition by sale.

Execution of Partition by Sale

Where sale is ordered, the immovable is sold at public auction by the enforcement office under the supervision of the Civil Court of Peace. After deduction of litigation costs and fees, the remaining sale proceeds are distributed to the co-owners in proportion to their shares.

Any co-owner has the right to purchase at the auction at the price determined by the court, providing a protective mechanism in favour of co-owners.

Practical Considerations

Real-estate disputes should be reviewed first on the basis of the land registry, encumbrance records, municipal and zoning status, actual use, and the payment records between the parties. In particular, in matters concerning deed cancellation, eviction, partition and condominium ownership a single document is rarely sufficient; official records must be assessed together with the factual situation.

Before commencing an action or transaction it is essential to identify time limits and the competent authority correctly. The court of the place where the immovable is located, the form requirements before notaries, land-registry procedures, dates of notices and service records can directly affect the course of the dispute.

When preparing evidence, the deed, official deed, lease, bank receipts, formal notices, building permits, management plans and other technical documents that may be subject to expert review should be filed separately. Such preparation enables a clearer legal framework both when filing an action and in settlement discussions.

Relevant Statutory Provisions

  • TMK m.698Right to demand termination of co-ownership

    Original (Turkish, official):

    Madde 698- Hukukî bir işlem gereğince veya paylı malın sürekli bir amaca özgülenmiş olması sebebiyle paylı mülkiyeti devam ettirme yükümlülüğü bulunmadıkça, paydaşlardan her biri malın paylaşılmasını isteyebilir.
    Paylaşmayı isteme hakkı, hukukî bir işlemle en çok on yıllık süre ile sınırlandırılabilir. Taşınmazlarda paylı mülkiyetin devamına ilişkin sözleşmeler, resmî şekle bağlıdır ve tapu kütüğüne şerh verilebilir.
    Uygun olmayan zamanda paylaşma isteminde bulunulamaz.

    English summary (non-binding):

    Article 698- Unless an obligation to maintain co-ownership arises from a legal transaction or because the co-owned property has been allocated to a continuing purpose, each co-owner may at any time request partition. The right to request partition may be limited by legal transaction for up to ten years. Agreements maintaining co-ownership in immovables must be in official form and may be annotated in the land registry. Partition cannot be requested at an inappropriate time.

    Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12

  • TMK m.699Partition in kind or by sale

    Original (Turkish, official):

    Madde 699- Paylaşma, malın aynen bölüşülmesi veya pazarlık ya da artırmayla satılarak bedelinin bölüşülmesi biçiminde gerçekleştirilir.
    Paylaşma biçiminde uyuşma sağlanamazsa, paydaşlardan birinin istemi üzerine hâkim, malın aynen bölünerek paylaştırılmasına, bölünen parçaların değerlerinin birbirine denk düşmemesi hâlinde eksik değerdeki parçaya para eklenerek denkleştirme sağlanmasına karar verir.
    Bölme istemi durum ve koşullara uygun görülmezse ve özellikle paylı malın önemli bir değer kaybına uğramadan bölünmesine olanak yoksa, açık artırmayla satışa hükmolunur. Satışın paydaşlar arasında artırmayla yapılmasına karar verilmesi, bütün paydaşların rızasına bağlıdır. 

    English summary (non-binding):

    Article 699- Partition is effected either by dividing the property in kind, or by selling it by negotiation or auction and dividing the proceeds. If no agreement is reached, the court, upon request of a co-owner, orders division in kind, with monetary equalisation where the divided parts are of unequal value. If division is not appropriate in the circumstances — in particular, if division is not possible without significant loss of value — the court orders sale by public auction. Sale by auction limited to the co-owners requires the consent of all co-owners.

    Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12

  • TMK m.700Partition where there is a usufruct on a share

    Original (Turkish, official):

    Madde 700- Bir paydaşın kendi payı üzerinde intifa hakkı kurması hâlinde, diğer paydaşlardan biri intifa hakkının kurulduğunun kendisine tebliğinden başlayarak üç ay içinde paylaşma isteminde bulunursa; satış yoluyla paylaşmada intifa hakkı, buna ilişkin paya düşecek bedel üzerinde devam eder. 

    English summary (non-binding):

    Article 700- If a co-owner establishes a usufruct over his share and another co-owner requests partition within three months of being notified of the usufruct, then in a partition by sale, the usufruct continues over the share of the proceeds corresponding to that share.

    Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12

  • HMK m.4Jurisdiction of the Civil Court of Peace

    Original (Turkish, official):

    MADDE 4- (1) Sulh hukuk mahkemeleri, dava konusunun değer veya tutarına bakılmaksızın;
    a) Kiralanan taşınmazların, 9/6/1932 tarihli ve 2004 sayılı İcra ve İflas Kanununa göre ilamsız icra yoluyla tahliyesine ilişkin hükümler ayrık olmak üzere, kira ilişkisinden doğan alacak davaları da dâhil olmak üzere tüm uyuşmazlıkları konu alan davalar ile bu davalara karşı açılan davaları,
    b) Taşınır ve taşınmaz mal veya hakkın paylaştırılmasına ve ortaklığın giderilmesine ilişkin davaları,
    c) Taşınır ve taşınmaz mallarda, sadece zilyetliğin korunmasına yönelik olan davaları,
    ç) Bu Kanun ile diğer kanunların, sulh hukuk mahkemesi veya sulh hukuk hâkimini görevlendirdiği davaları,
    görürler.

    English summary (non-binding):

    Article 4- (1) Civil Courts of Peace, regardless of the amount in dispute, hear: (a) all disputes arising from lease relationships (including monetary claims), and counterclaims — except eviction from leased immovables via non-judgment enforcement under Law No. 2004; (b) actions for partition of movable or immovable property or rights, and for termination of co-ownership; (c) actions concerning the protection of possession in movable and immovable property only; (ç) cases assigned to the Civil Court of Peace by this Law or other statutes.

    Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12

  • HMK m.12Exclusive territorial jurisdiction in immovable actions

    Original (Turkish, official):

    MADDE 12- (1) Taşınmaz üzerindeki ayni hakka ilişkin veya ayni hak sahipliğinde değişikliğe yol açabilecek davalar ile taşınmazın zilyetliğine yahut alıkoyma hakkına ilişkin davalarda, taşınmazın bulunduğu yer mahkemesi kesin yetkilidir.
    (2) İrtifak haklarına ilişkin davalar, üzerinde irtifak hakkı kurulan taşınmazın bulunduğu yer mahkemesinde açılır.
    (3) Bu davalar, birden fazla taşınmaza ilişkinse, taşınmazlardan birinin bulunduğu yerde, diğerleri hakkında da açılabilir. 

    English summary (non-binding):

    Article 12- (1) In actions concerning an in rem right over an immovable or capable of changing the holder of such a right, and in actions concerning possession or the right of retention of an immovable, the court of the place where the immovable is situated has exclusive jurisdiction. (2) Actions concerning easements are brought before the court of the place where the servient immovable is situated. (3) If the action concerns several immovables, it may be brought, with respect to all, before the court of the place where one of them is situated.

    Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12

The statutory provisions are reproduced for information purposes only. The current and official text on mevzuat.gov.tr is authoritative.

Conclusion

A partition action allows co-owners who cannot reach agreement to terminate co-ownership through judicial means. Where partition in kind is possible, direct negotiation between co-owners avoids loss of value in a sale process.

This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you would like professional assistance on a specific matter, you may request a consultation.

Request a Consultation