Discrimination in housing ads now faces heavy penalties

ISTANBUL

After soaring rental prices, discriminatory language in real estate listings has become the latest issue under scrutiny.

Recently, a rental ad in Istanbul’s Ümraniye district that stated “Not for retirees. Retirees should not call, since their pensions cannot be seized, we do not prefer them. The apartment will only be rented to civil servants or corporate employees” was fined by the Trade Ministry for violating regulations.

The ministry emphasized that ensuring equal access to services for all citizens, maintaining fair and ethical commercial practices and preventing discriminatory actions that harm public conscience are among its top priorities.

Despite this penalty, similar discriminatory phrases are still visible in current listings, raising the question: Can landlords choose their tenants?

Real estate law expert Ali Güvenç Kiraz explained that while landlords can request certain documents such as payslips, credit reports, criminal records, guarantors, or eviction commitments to protect their rental income, they cannot use discriminatory language in advertisements.

Sharing tenants’ personal information with third parties is also a crime. Kiraz underlined that phrases like “not for foreigners,” “not for singles,” “families with many children should not apply,” or “only for civil servants” are considered administrative offenses and subject to fines.

The only exception is when the nature of the property justifies such a condition — for instance, a one-room apartment may not be suitable for a large family.

Kiraz also noted that complaints about discrimination fall under the jurisdiction of the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye, while the Trade Ministry handles misleading ads, excessive price hikes, or violations of listing regulations.

The ministry is also cracking down on unjustified price manipulations.

If a price increase is not aligned with general economic data or lacks a valid justification, fines are imposed. For instance, one property listed at 9.5 million Turkish Liras was raised to 13 million liras within 18 days, another increased by 1 million liras in just two weeks and a third rose by nearly 1.5 million liras in a single week. Each case resulted in a 150,000 lira fine. Overall, recent inspections led to administrative fines totaling 34.9 million liras against 256 individuals.

Despite these measures, discriminatory ads remain online. Authorities stress that such practices are illegal and undermine fairness in the housing market, warning that penalties will continue to be enforced to protect tenants’ rights and ensure equal treatment.