Consumer Law
Consumer Rights in Türkiye: A Practical Guide for Foreigners
Consumer Rights in Türkiye: A Practical Guide for Foreigners
Authored by Attorney Mert Veysel Yılmaz, Founding Attorney at Yilmaz Attorneys
Foreign residents, property owners and visitors purchase a wide range of goods and services in Türkiye. These transactions may involve online shopping, furniture, electronics, private healthcare, hotel reservations, package tours, banking services, telecommunications, home repairs or long-term subscriptions.
When something goes wrong, a foreign consumer generally has access to the same consumer-law protections as a Turkish consumer. Turkish citizenship is not the determining factor. The main question is whether the person obtained the goods or services for a private purpose rather than a commercial or professional purpose.
This guide explains the principal rights available under Turkish consumer law, the evidence a foreign consumer should preserve and the procedure for pursuing a complaint in 2026.
Who is legally considered a consumer?
Law No. 6502 on Consumer Protection defines a consumer as a natural or legal person acting for purposes that are not commercial or professional. The law covers transactions between that consumer and a seller or service provider acting for commercial or professional purposes.
A foreign national can therefore qualify as a consumer when purchasing a product or service for personal use. Nationality alone does not remove consumer protection.
The purpose of the transaction remains important. A laptop purchased for private use may be a consumer transaction. The same laptop purchased by a company for its business operations may fall outside the consumer-law regime. Mixed personal and business use may require a closer review of the contract, invoice and surrounding facts.
Your rights when goods are defective
A product may be legally defective when it does not conform to the contract, does not have the characteristics stated in an advertisement or description, is delivered incorrectly, is improperly installed, or does not provide the quality and performance that a consumer may reasonably expect.
Examples may include:
An appliance that stops working shortly after delivery
Furniture delivered in the wrong material, colour or dimensions
A vehicle with an undisclosed fault
A product that lacks an advertised feature
Incorrect or unsafe installation arranged by the seller
A product delivered later than the agreed contractual period
Where the statutory conditions are met, the consumer may generally choose one of four remedies:
Cancel the contract and request repayment
Keep the product and request an appropriate price reduction
Request repair without charge
Request replacement with a conforming product where replacement is possible
The appropriate remedy depends on the facts and on whether repair or replacement would impose a disproportionate burden. The consumer should state the selected remedy clearly and preserve proof that the demand was delivered to the seller.
The first six months and the burden of proof
If a defect appears within six months after delivery, it is generally presumed to have existed at the time of delivery. The seller must then establish that the product was not defective when delivered, unless the nature of the product or defect makes this presumption incompatible with the circumstances.
This rule can be important where a seller simply claims that the consumer caused the fault. Photographs, technical reports, service records and written communications should still be preserved from the beginning.
Time limits for defective goods
Unless a longer period applies under another law or the contract, liability for defective goods is generally subject to a two-year limitation period starting from delivery.
For residential or holiday property, the general period is five years from delivery. For second-hand sales, the seller's liability generally cannot be limited to less than one year. For second-hand residential or holiday property, it generally cannot be limited to less than three years.
These limitation periods do not protect a seller who concealed the defect through gross fault or fraud. The exact legal character of the claim and the relevant dates should be reviewed before relying on any general period.
Your rights when a service is defective
A service may be defective when it is not performed within the agreed period, does not meet the contractual standard, differs from advertising or representations, or contains a material, legal or economic deficiency that reduces the expected benefit.
Examples may include:
Incomplete or poor-quality home renovation work
A hotel or package tour materially different from what was sold
A paid professional service that was not performed as agreed
An internet or telecommunications service that does not meet the contracted terms
Unjustified charges under a subscription or membership agreement
Depending on the circumstances, the consumer may request that the service be performed again, that the defect be remedied without charge, that the price be reduced, or that the contract be cancelled. A damages claim may also be available where the legal requirements are satisfied.
Online purchases and the 14-day withdrawal right
Purchases made through a website, mobile application, telephone or another remote communication system may qualify as distance contracts.
For many distance contracts, the consumer may withdraw within 14 days without giving a reason and without paying a contractual penalty. For goods, the period generally begins when the consumer or a designated third person receives the goods. For services, it generally begins when the contract is concluded.
The withdrawal notice should be sent in writing or through a durable data medium. An email, platform notification or another system that preserves the notice may provide useful evidence. A telephone conversation alone can be difficult to prove.
After a valid withdrawal, the seller or provider must generally refund the relevant payments within the applicable 14-day period. The consumer must also return the goods within the applicable period. The platform may have additional responsibilities where it collected the payment on behalf of the seller.
The 14-day withdrawal right is not universal. Exceptions may apply to:
Goods made to the consumer's specifications or clearly personalised
Goods that may deteriorate or expire rapidly
Certain sealed goods where the seal has been opened and return would be unsuitable for health or hygiene reasons
Digital content supplied immediately after the consumer gave the required consent and acknowledgement
Services fully performed during the withdrawal period after the consumer gave the required consent
Other contracts specifically excluded by the applicable regulation
A refusal based on an exception should be checked against the precise product, service and information given before the contract was formed.
Delivery obligations and failed deliveries
For most distance sales of goods, the seller must perform within the promised period and, unless a permitted exception applies, no later than 30 days after receiving the order.
If performance becomes impossible, the seller must notify the consumer and refund the payments within the statutory period. A product merely being out of stock does not automatically amount to legal impossibility.
The seller generally bears the risk of loss or damage until the goods are delivered to the consumer or to the person designated by the consumer. Delivery to a carrier is not necessarily the same as delivery to the consumer.
Warranties and authorised repair services
Many new consumer products must be sold with a warranty document. The minimum warranty period is generally two years from delivery, although different measurements may apply to certain products.
A commercial warranty does not replace the consumer's statutory rights. If the consumer selects free repair, no labour, replacement-part, transport or similar charge should generally be imposed within the applicable warranty framework.
If the product fails again during the warranty period, cannot be repaired, or is not repaired within the maximum permitted time, the consumer may be entitled to another statutory remedy. The invoice, warranty document and every authorised service form should be retained.
Subscriptions, telecommunications and recurring payments
Subscription contracts may involve telephone, internet, television, utilities, gyms, digital services or other continuing arrangements. Problems often concern cancellation, automatic renewal, early termination charges, service quality or continued billing after termination.
The consumer should keep the original contract, commitment terms, invoices and proof of every cancellation request. Where a card transaction appears unauthorised, a prompt objection to the card issuer may be necessary in addition to any consumer-law remedy.
Cross-border digital services can present additional jurisdiction and enforcement questions. A provider established outside Türkiye may not always be subject to the same domestic procedure as a seller established in Türkiye.
Travel, accommodation and package tours
A foreign visitor may also be a consumer when purchasing accommodation, transportation or a package tour in Türkiye. A material change to the agreed service, cancellation by the organiser, misleading accommodation description or failure to provide an included service may create contractual and consumer-law remedies.
The traveller should report the problem immediately and give the provider a reasonable opportunity to address it where appropriate. Photographs, booking confirmations, advertisements, messages, receipts and records of additional expenses may later become essential evidence.
Private healthcare and professional services
Private healthcare and other professional services may involve consumer-law issues, but not every complaint is simply a consumer dispute. A disagreement about price, advertising or contractual performance may differ legally from a professional-negligence or malpractice claim.
The contract, consent documents, invoices, treatment records and communications should be reviewed before selecting the legal route. Limitation periods, expert evidence and jurisdiction may differ depending on the true nature of the claim.
What evidence should you preserve?
Consumer disputes are usually decided through documents. Preserve the following wherever relevant:
The contract, order confirmation and applicable terms
The invoice, receipt and bank or card record
The advertisement, listing and product description
Photographs and videos of the product, service or premises
Delivery records and cargo tracking information
Email, message and platform correspondence
Warranty documents and authorised service reports
Cancellation, withdrawal or refund notices
Proof of when each notice was sent and received
Receipts for losses and additional expenses
Do not return original documents unless necessary. Keep copies of everything submitted to a seller, authority, mediator or court.
The first step: a clear written demand
Before starting formal proceedings, send a concise written notice to the correct legal entity. Identify the transaction, explain the problem, state the remedy selected and provide a reasonable response period.
Avoid a long emotional narrative. A useful notice should make the legal and factual request easy to understand. If the business operates through a marketplace, submit the request through the platform as well as directly to the seller where appropriate.
Do not allow informal negotiations to cause a limitation or appeal period to expire.
Consumer Arbitration Committees in 2026
For 2026, disputes valued below TRY 186,000 must generally be submitted to a Provincial or District Consumer Arbitration Committee. A dispute valued at exactly TRY 186,000 falls outside that threshold.
An application may generally be made to the committee at the consumer's place of residence or where the consumer transaction took place. Applications may be submitted personally, through a lawyer, by post or electronically through the Consumer Information System available through e-Government.
Foreign applicants can use a passport number or foreign identification number. The application must state the claim value in Turkish lira and include the available information about the seller or provider.
The committee's decision is binding. If the successful party does not receive voluntary payment or performance, enforcement may be necessary.
Challenging a Consumer Arbitration Committee decision
A party may object to a Consumer Arbitration Committee decision before the competent Consumer Court within 15 days following formal notification.
The objection does not automatically suspend enforcement. A request for interim suspension may be considered where the legal conditions are met. The notification document and date should therefore be reviewed immediately.
Mandatory mediation and Consumer Court claims
Disputes at or above the applicable committee threshold generally require mandatory mediation before a Consumer Court claim is filed. The mediation requirement also applies to many other consumer cases, subject to statutory exceptions.
Consumer Arbitration Committee applications and objections against committee decisions are among the matters treated differently under the mediation rules. The correct procedure should be identified before filing.
Where there is no specialised Consumer Court, the competent Civil Court of First Instance may hear the case in the capacity of a Consumer Court.
Costs and proportionality
A consumer may have a legally valid claim that is not economically suitable for full court representation. The value of the claim, available evidence, translation requirements, expert costs, enforcement prospects and the seller's financial position should all be considered.
For a lower-value dispute, a focused assessment, formal demand or Consumer Arbitration Committee application may be more proportionate than litigation. Higher-value, urgent or technically complex matters may justify broader representation.
Common mistakes to avoid
Relying only on telephone conversations without creating a written record
Sending the complaint to the platform but not identifying the actual seller
Requesting several inconsistent remedies without stating a clear primary demand
Discarding packaging, service reports or delivery documents too early
Assuming every online purchase carries an unconditional withdrawal right
Missing the 15-day period for challenging a committee decision
Beginning court proceedings before completing mandatory mediation
Allowing informal negotiations to continue while a legal deadline expires
Frequently asked questions
Do foreigners have consumer rights in Türkiye?
Yes. A foreign national may qualify as a consumer when acquiring goods or services for a private purpose. Consumer Arbitration Committee applications can identify a foreign applicant by passport number or foreign identification number.
Can I return every online purchase within 14 days?
No. The 14-day withdrawal right applies to many distance contracts, but statutory exceptions exist. Personalised goods, certain hygiene products, perishable goods, some digital content and fully performed services may fall outside the general right.
What can I request if a product is defective?
Depending on the legal conditions, you may request cancellation and repayment, a price reduction, free repair or replacement with a conforming product.
Do I need a Turkish residence permit to apply?
A residence permit is not itself the basis of consumer status. Foreign applicants may use a passport number or foreign identification number. Jurisdiction and the practical filing method must still be checked for the particular case.
Where do I apply for a dispute below TRY 186,000?
For 2026, disputes below TRY 186,000 generally fall within the Consumer Arbitration Committee system. The application may generally be made where the consumer resides or where the transaction took place.
What happens if the business ignores a favourable decision?
Consumer Arbitration Committee decisions are binding and may be enforced under the rules applicable to court judgments. A separate enforcement step may be required if the business does not comply voluntarily.
When should I seek legal advice?
Legal review is particularly useful where the value is significant, the seller disputes the facts, the claim involves property, healthcare or technical defects, a committee decision has been notified, a limitation period may be approaching, or the transaction contains a foreign element.
How Yilmaz Attorneys can help
We advise foreign consumers and businesses on Turkish consumer law. Our work includes case assessment, evidence review, formal demands, Consumer Arbitration Committee applications, mandatory mediation, Consumer Court proceedings and consumer-contract compliance.
We first identify the correct legal route and whether the cost of representation is proportionate to the claim. Where broader action is justified, we coordinate the Turkish procedure and provide clear English-language reporting throughout the matter.
Official references
This guide provides general legal information as of 24 September 2026. It does not constitute legal advice for a particular transaction or dispute. Monetary thresholds, procedures and administrative guidance may change. Advice should be obtained on the current documents and facts of the individual case.
