In buildings with central heating, heating costs are shared under the Regulation on the Allocation of Heating and Sanitary Hot Water Costs in Central Heating and Sanitary Hot Water Systems dated 14 April 2008: 70% of the total heating cost is allocated according to the measured heat consumption of each unit and 30% according to enclosed floor area (m²). Central hot water costs are allocated entirely according to measured hot water consumption. For cold water, the difference between the master meter and the apartment meters is distributed under the common-area rule set by the management.
What is the legal basis for this allocation?
The regulation was issued under the fourth paragraph of Article 42 of the Condominium Law No. 634. The legislation that made consumption-based allocation mandatory is the Energy Efficiency Law No. 5627, published on 2 May 2007. Article 7, paragraph 1, subparagraph (c) of the Law requires centrally heated buildings to use systems that allocate heating costs according to the amount of heat consumed. Existing buildings were given five years from 2 May 2007 to comply. That deadline passed long ago, so splitting costs in a centrally heated building solely by m² or land share is no longer considered compliant with the legislation.
An important detail: Article 14 of the regulation requires that any provisions in the management plan that conflict with the regulation be brought into line within three months. While the management plan may set a different basis for sharing maintenance fees (see how maintenance fees are calculated), you cannot rely on an equal-sharing clause in the management plan for heating costs.
What's the difference between a heat cost allocator and a heat meter?
The device commonly called a "pay meter" or "heat cost allocator" is referred to in the regulation as a heat meter. Both devices measure consumption, but their methods and installation requirements differ.
| Heat cost allocator (share meter) | Heat meter (calorimeter) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where does it fall short? | On each radiator or on the supply line | On the apartment's heating supply line, at a single point |
| What does it measure? | Records the energy a radiator consumes as relative units | Calculates heat energy (kWh, kcal) from flow rate and temperature difference |
| Which installation? | Common in older buildings with vertical (riser) piping | In buildings with horizontal piping and a single entry point per unit |
| How is apartment consumption calculated? | The readings of all heat meters in the apartment are added up | The value on the apartment meter is taken directly |
Under Article 7 of the regulation, if heat meters are used, a device must be fitted to each radiator group in the apartment and readings must be taken from all devices. Leaving a radiator in one room without a device understates that apartment's consumption and shifts the difference onto other apartments. In both systems, the regulation requires thermostatic radiator valves compliant with TS EN 215.
How are heating costs calculated? Sample table
The formula in Article 8 of the regulation is simple: apartment share = (total cost × 0.70 × apartment consumption ÷ building total consumption) + (total cost × 0.30 × apartment m² ÷ total m²). The 30% portion covers shared areas, system losses, minimum heating and operating costs.
Example: Take a building with 6 units and heat meters, where January heating costs total 48,000 TL. Total enclosed area is 600 m² and total consumption read from the meters is 6,720 kWh. The fixed portion is 14,400 TL (24 TL per m²) and the consumption portion is 33,600 TL (5 TL per kWh). All figures are purely illustrative.
| Apartment | m² | Consumption (kWh) | 30% area share | 70% consumption share | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 90 | 1.400 | 2,160 TL | 7,000 TL | ₺9,160 |
| 2 | 90 | 1.120 | 2,160 TL | 5,600 TL | ₺7,760 |
| 3 | 110 | 1.600 | 2,640 TL | ₺8,000 | 10,640 TL |
| 4 | 110 | 1.360 | 2,640 TL | 6,800 TL | ₺9,440 |
| 5 (empty) | 100 | 0 | 2,400 TL | 0 TL | 2,400 TL |
| 6 | 100 | 1.240 | 2,400 TL | 6,200 TL | ₺8,600 |
| Total | 600 | 6.720 | 14,400 TL | 33,600 TL | 48,000 TL |
The calculation is the same in a building with heat cost allocators; the only difference is that the total of the units read by the heat meters in each unit is used instead of kWh. In district heating systems, the regulation requires 20% of the total cost to be allocated by floor area.
Does a vacant unit pay heating costs?
Yes. It pays a share of the fixed 30% portion in proportion to its own m². In the example above, apartment 5 pays ₺2,400 even though it used no heating at all. The logic is this: the walls of an empty apartment draw heat from neighboring units, the stairwell and entrance hall are heated, and the boiler room's operating costs arise every month. Article 5 of the regulation also requires that in units heated by a central system, the room temperature be set to a minimum of 15 °C. As for an empty apartment's consumption share, it is whatever its meter or heat meters read.
How are hot-water costs shared?
In a central sanitary hot water system, the total hot water cost is allocated according to the measured hot water consumption of users, with no fixed share set aside (Article 8/4). If hot water is produced by a device independent of the heating system, the liters on each apartment's hot water meter are divided by the building total. If hot water is produced from the same boiler, the regulation first separates the fuel spent on hot water using a formula (By = 1.20 × V × (tw − 10) ÷ Hu); the remaining fuel is distributed as heating cost under the 70/30 rule.
Who reads the meters, and how often?
Under the regulation, the parties entitled to take monthly or periodic consumption readings and issue the cost-sharing statement are: the building owner, the building manager or board of directors, the energy manager, metering companies authorised by the Ministry, and district heating distribution companies. Authorised companies are intended for cases where the management lacks sufficient staff and equipment for metering. In practice, most buildings with heat cost allocators work with a metering firm; where heat meters and remote-reading systems are installed, the management can also take readings itself.
Rules to follow when taking readings:
- Consumption is not metered in common areas such as stairwell landings, entrance halls and boiler rooms; these areas fall within the 30% share. In high-consumption areas such as swimming pools, saunas and caretaker's flats, metering is mandatory.
- If the tenant changes during the period, an interim reading is taken on the changeover date and two separate documents are issued at the end of the period. If an interim reading cannot be taken, the apportionment is made based on the number of days of use.
- If a faulty device prevents a reading, the unit's consumption in comparable previous periods or the consumption of similar units in the same period is used as the basis.
- The summary of allocation notices is posted as a list on the notice board at the building entrance for at least three days.
- Ensuring that measuring devices are regularly inspected and calibrated is the responsibility of the building management.
How is the cold-water master meter difference allocated?
Many residential compounds have a single master subscription with the municipality, with management-read sub-meters in each unit. The amount measured by the master meter never equals the sum of the unit meters. The difference comes from garden watering, cleaning of common areas, the pool, meter accuracy and leaks in the plumbing. Unlike heating, there is no legally fixed ratio for cold water; the owners' association resolution or the management plan determines how the difference is allocated.
Example: The master meter reads 420 m³ for the month, while the meters of the 40 units add up to 380 m³. The difference is 40 m³. Management can choose one of two approaches: allocate the bill in proportion to each unit's consumption and distribute the 40 m³ difference separately — equally, by m² or by land share; or set aside a fixed proportion upfront as the common-area share and split the remainder by consumption. Whichever is chosen, the same rule must be applied every month and the difference shown as a separate line. A month in which the difference grows is a sign of leakage or a faulty meter; have the installation checked before distributing.
If each unit has its own subscription with the municipality, the management's only job is the common-area meter; that meter's bill is shared as a common expense along with the maintenance fee.
What are the most common mistakes?
- Burying heating costs in the monthly fee: Residents who pay by consumption can't see the savings, and complaints go up.
- Exempting the vacant unit entirely: the 30% area share still applies to the vacant unit. An exemption shifts the extra cost onto the other units.
- Missing reading: skipping a heat cost allocator on a radiator or recording a zero for a meter that can't be read. In this case the regulation describes the estimation method.
- No interim reading at tenant changeover: The previous tenant's consumption lands on the new tenant.
- Splitting the water difference a different way every month: The rule must be decided once and put in writing.
- Not recording reading dates: Previous and current meter readings and their dates are among the information that must appear in the cost-sharing notice.
How does meter reading and allocation work in Çözüm Hanem?
In the Çözüm Hanem meter module, you define one master meter and the unit or shop meters connected to it; water, gas, electricity and heat meters are supported. Readings are entered on the 3-step bulk reading screen or uploaded in bulk with an Excel template. Field staff using the field app can read the meter on site and attach a photo, so if a dispute arises you have the reading value together with its photo.
Allocation is automatic: consumption is apportioned to the apartments either at a unit price or based on the amount of the incoming bill. The common-area share can be defined as the difference between the master meter and the apartment meters, or as a fixed percentage; this share is allocated equally, by m² or by land share, and you choose whether vacant apartments are included. For example, in a building with heat meters you can set aside 30% of the bill amount as the common share and allocate it by m², then allocate the remainder by meter consumption. The result is posted directly to each apartment's balance, and residents see their own share in the resident app. Allocation history is retained, and the system warns you if any readings remain unallocated. You'll find the rest of the module's details on the features page.
Summary
- In central heating, 70% of the total cost is allocated by measured consumption and 30% by enclosed area (m²); in district heating the area share is 20%.
- Central hot water is split entirely according to measured consumption.
- A vacant unit still pays its 30% area share; the management plan cannot override this rule.
- Readings are taken monthly or per period; an interim reading is taken when a tenant changes, and an estimated method is applied in the event of a fault.
- There is no statutory ratio for the cold-water difference; set a single rule by board resolution and apply it the same way every month.
This article is for general information only. For your own building's system and contracts, consult your metering company and legal advisor.