"Why is the maintenance fee different for every apartment?" is the question property managers hear most often. The answer lies in Article 20 of the Condominium Law: some expenses are shared equally, while others are split in proportion to land share.
Two different sharing measures
Unless the unit owners agree otherwise, the ratios are as follows:
| Expense type | Apportionment basis |
|---|---|
| Caretaker, boiler operator, gardener and security guard expenses and advances | Equally |
| Insurance premiums for the main property | In proportion to land share |
| Maintenance, protection, reinforcement and repair costs for common areas | In proportion to land share |
| Other expenses such as the manager's salary | In proportion to land share |
| Operating expenses for shared facilities | In proportion to land share |
The phrase "unless otherwise agreed" matters here: if a different allocation is agreed in the management plan, that applies. So always read your management plan before you start calculating.
Numerical example
Let's take an apartment building with 20 units. Monthly expenses:
- Caretaker salary and SGK: 30,000 TL → equal
- Elevator maintenance, common-area electricity and insurance: 20,000 TL → land share
The equally shared portion per unit: 30,000 ÷ 20 = 1,500 TL.
For the portion shared by land share, a unit with a 4% land share pays 20,000 × 0.04 = 800 TL; a unit with a 6% land share pays 20,000 × 0.06 = 1,200 TL.
Result: the small apartment pays ₺2,300, the large apartment ₺2,700. The difference comes from splitting the caretaker’s cost equally. This is exactly what large-unit owners often object to — yet this is the standard the law sets.
Metered consumption is calculated separately
If consumption is measured per unit in a central heating or shared water system, these are allocated according to measured consumption rather than as a shared expense. In central heating systems, allocation is carried out in line with the procedure set out in energy efficiency legislation; confirm the applicable ratio for your own system with your heat cost allocation company.
The biggest mistake in practice is burying utility meter consumption inside the maintenance fee. When it appears as a separate line item, disputes drop and the unit that saves energy sees it in its own account.
Does the tenant or the owner pay?
The party legally liable for common expenses is the unit owner. A tenant may have assumed this charge under the lease agreement; however, for the management the counterparty remains the owner. That is why you should keep both the actual occupant and the owner in your records for debt tracking.
Unpaid maintenance fee
A unit owner who fails to pay the full amount of an expense or advance share is obliged to pay late payment compensation calculated at five percent per month for the days the payment is overdue. We detail the process in our collection article.
This article is for general information purposes. In specific disputes, your management plan and legal advice are essential.