Floor easement links a land share to a project unit; condominium ownership registers ownership of an independent unit. Check occupancy permission separately: floor-easement title alone does not prove that an iskan is absent. Under Article 17, condominium-management rules can apply before conversion when construction is complete and two thirds of units are in actual use. Neither title guarantees a mortgage or residence permission.
A Turkish apartment title may record kat irtifakı (floor easement) or kat mülkiyeti (condominium ownership). These are different registered property rights under Law No. 634. They must also be distinguished from the building's occupancy permission, commonly called iskan.
Floor easement links a land share to an independent unit contemplated by a building project. It is commonly established before completion. It is a registered right, not merely a booking agreement or an unsecured promise by a developer. A completed building may still have floor-easement entries if condominium registration has not been completed.
Condominium ownership registers separate ownership of an independent unit together with the associated land share and rights in common parts. Owners remain subject to the law, the management plan, restrictions in the title register and applicable planning rules. Calling this ownership “unrestricted” would therefore be misleading.
The title category alone does not establish whether a particular building or unit has an occupancy permit. Review the municipality's permit and approved project alongside the land-registry entry. Do not infer that every floor-easement property lacks an iskan, or that the title label by itself settles whether a particular use or letting is lawful.
Conversion to condominium ownership involves completion and the applicable registration documentation, including occupancy permission in the ordinary procedure. Multi-building developments may require block-specific assessment; it is not safe to assume that every unit on a large development must always convert simultaneously.
Article 17 of Law No. 634 expressly addresses buildings with floor easement: where construction is actually complete and two thirds of the independent units are in actual use, condominium-management provisions apply even if condominium ownership has not yet been registered. An unconverted title is therefore not a general exemption from management rules.
| Question | Floor easement | Condominium ownership |
|---|---|---|
| Registered interest | Project-related right tied to a land share | Ownership of an independent unit with associated common-property rights |
| Evidence of occupancy permission | Check the actual permit; do not infer its absence from the title alone | Check the permit, approved use and current physical condition |
| Management | Article 17 may bring condominium-management rules into operation before conversion | Condominium law and the management plan apply |
| Mortgage finance | Subject to lender assessment, title and project documentation | Still subject to lender assessment; approval is not guaranteed |
This is a due-diligence checklist, not an exhaustive official application list. Obtain transaction-specific requirements from the land registry and municipality. Neither title category, on its own, guarantees financing, residence permission or citizenship eligibility. See also our guide to title protection in off-plan purchases.
Source-check update: 27 September 2026. General information; an individual property requires review of its own registry and permit records.
