Attention to Car Renters: Collecting Deposits via Promissory Notes Has Been Prohibited
Official titleRegulation on the Leasing of Motor Land Vehicles
With the regulation prepared by the Ministry of Trade, authorization certificate obligations, vehicle age and quantity limits, as well as deposit and reservation standards have been introduced for short-term motor land vehicle rental activities.
Details of the Regulation
The regulation governs short-term (up to 29 days) motor land vehicle rental activities carried out for commercial purposes. Accordingly, it has been made mandatory for rental companies to obtain an authorization certificate from the Provincial Directorates of Trade. Companies operating in metropolitan municipalities must possess at least 10 vehicles, at least two of which must be registered in their own name, and one of which must be a domestically manufactured hybrid or electric vehicle. It has been stipulated that vehicles must not be older than 6 years, excluding classic vehicles, and must not have exceeded 180,000 kilometers, except for those with electric motors. Furthermore, deposit transactions have been restricted, and taking security via promissory notes or checks has been strictly prohibited. By also preventing advertisement and intermediary platforms from carrying out the publication of listings of unauthorized businesses, new sanctions have been put into effect against unfair commercial practices.
Questions You Might Have
- Can a promissory note as security be demanded from me when renting a vehicle?
- No. According to the new regulation, taking checks, promissory notes, or similar debt-creating documents as a deposit is strictly prohibited.
- Who is responsible if the vehicle I rented breaks down on the road?
- Unless the business proves that the breakdown is caused by the lessee, it is deemed acceptance that the breakdown did not originate from the lessee, and all repair expenses belong to the business.
- How much penalty do I pay if I cancel my reservation within the last 24 hours?
- For cancellations made less than 24 hours before the delivery time, a cancellation fee of at most one day's rental fee may be charged, provided that it was specified in advance in the form.
Key Terms
- Kısa süreli kiralama
- Vehicle rental service provided to the same lessee in a single instance or continuously for a maximum period of 29 days.
- Depozito
- Pre-authorization or blockage amount processed via card in order to guarantee rental and potential damage liabilities.
- Yetki belgesi
- The official document issued by the Ministry of Trade in order to conduct motor land vehicle rental activities.
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REGAS Commentary
This regulation directly intervenes in the matters where consumers have been the most frequent victims in the car rental sector (unfair deposit deductions, old/ill-maintained vehicles, mandatory signature of promissory notes, and fake listings). Consumers will now be safer; however, it may become difficult for small tradesmen in the sector to comply with costly conditions such as the 10-vehicle fleet and hybrid/electric vehicle requirements. In the long term, this situation may lead to some increase in rental prices.