Hiring a Property Management Company in Alanya: Fees, Services, and What to Check

!A property manager inspecting an Alanya apartment while the foreign owner joins by video call You bought an apartment in Alanya, but you live in Oslo, Berlin, or Moscow. So who actually opens the door when a tenant's boiler breaks at 11 p.m.? Who signs the rental contract, collects the rent, pays the aidat, and sends the money to your account abroad? For most foreign owners, the honest answer is: a property management company. This guide explains your three realistic options, what a full-service manager does, what it costs, and exactly what to check before you hand over your keys. Three ways to manage an Alanya apartment remotely Site management (siteyönetimi). Almost every modern Alanya complex already has a siteyönetimi that runs the shared pool, garden, security, and elevators, funded by your monthly aidat. Some site managers will also handle apartment-specific tasks, such as letting in a cleaner or meeting a repair technician, for an extra fee. This is the most convenient option because they are already on-site, but their scope is limited. They are rarely set up to find tenants, sign leases, or handle your tax declaration. Independent Turkish manager (bireysel yönetici). A local individual who manages a handful of apartments. They are usually the cheapest route, sometimes charging 8-10% of rent, and can be excellent. The risk is oversight: with no company structure behind them, your protection lives entirely in the written contract. Insist on one. Specialist expat property firm. Companies built for foreign owners, often working in English and Russian. They cost more, typically 12-15% of gross rent for full service, but they handle the whole cycle, including filing your Turkish rental income declaration and reporting to you in your language. For owners who do not speak Turkish, this is usually the safest choice. What a full-service manager actually does A genuine full-service mandate should cover the entire life of the tenancy, not just rent collection: Tenant finding and vetting — advertising, viewings, and basic checks on prospective tenants. Contract signing — preparing and signing the lease on your behalf under a power of attorney. Rent collection — chasing late payers and remitting the balance to you. Maintenance — arranging repairs, from a leaking tap to a broken air-conditioner. Utility management — keeping electricity, water, and internet subscriptions in your name and paid. Monthly reporting — a statement showing rent received, costs deducted, and net amount sent. !Sample monthly owner statement showing rent collected, deductions, and net remittance Typical fees Pricing in Alanya is fairly consistent once you know the bands: Full service (find, manage, maintain, report): 10-15% of gross rental income. Rent-only collection: 5-8%, where you handle everything else and the manager simply collects and remits. A specialist expat firm sits at the top of the full-service band because of the language support and tax filing. Cheaper is not automatically better; a 9% manager who lets your apartment sit empty for two months costs far more than a 14% firm that keeps it occupied. Vetting: how to avoid the wrong manager Real estate advising in Turkey is regulated. Ask whether the firm or individual holds the gayrimenkul danışmanı certificate, the real-estate adviser qualification overseen by the Ministry of Commerce (Ticaret Bakanlığı) through the Vocational Qualifications Authority (Mesleki Yeterlilik Kurumu). Enforcement is still patchy, so a certificate is reassurance rather than a guarantee, but a professional should be able to produce it. Then do the basics that protect you anywhere in the world: Check references. Ask to speak to two or three current foreign owners. Request the contract before you commit. A serious manager has a standard written agreement ready. The contract: what it must cover Your written management contract is your only real protection. Make sure it spells out: Scope — exactly which services are included, and which cost extra. Fee percentage — the rate, and whether it is charged on gross or net rent. Reporting frequency — monthly statements are standard. Repair authorization limit — the manager may spend up to a set amount, for example TRY 2,000, on a repair without asking you first; anything above needs your approval. Payment terms — whether rent is remitted to you monthly or quarterly. Emergency procedures — who to call, and how, when something urgent happens. Accounting access — your right to see the underlying records. On tax, if the manager files your Turkish rental income declaration, confirm they use the götürü gider method (a flat 15% deduction of gross rent) unless your actual documented costs are higher, in which case the real-expense method may save you more. Staying in control from abroad You do not need to be in Alanya to keep an eye on things: Online banking. A Turkish bank app shows incoming rent the moment it lands, so you can confirm payments yourself. e-Devlet. With your yabancı kimlik (foreigner ID), the state portal lets you check some records, including which utility subscriptions are registered to your address. WhatsApp video. A live video walkthrough for maintenance issues is now standard practice; ask for one whenever a repair is reported. Red flags Walk away if you see any of these: A request for six or more months of fees upfront. No written contract, only a handshake or a chat message. No references they are willing to share. A trustworthy manager earns from the steady percentage, not from large advance payments. If the basics of a contract and references make them uncomfortable, that discomfort is your answer. Managed well, an Alanya apartment can run smoothly from thousands of kilometres away. The difference between a passive income stream and a long-distance headache is almost always the manager you choose and the contract you sign.