What do we do now?

[turkeyfan]

Hi,

These may seem like daft questions but here goes. 

We''ve bought our apartment and most of the furnishings for it, the tapu is at the solicitors office (because he was power of attorney) and we are going to stay in it for the first time next week but what do we have to sort out now 

What do we have to do to sort out bills - do we have to register for council tax, electricity, water at the Belediye?
When should we start paying maintenance for pools, gardens etc?
Where do we get gas?
Can we get internet connection without having a landline (can this be done through a mobile)?
Do we need to open a new bank account because the solicitor is POA and he would still have access to our account?

I''ve asked our solicitor but he''s not got back to me yet and the estate agent is away too, so thought I would ask all the experienced Kalkaners.

Thanks in advance. 

Kay

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=1087.0

[DRBD]

Hi Turkeyfan,

Certainly not daft questions and will try and advise on some:

Would advise you to register for council tax etc, you need go down to the Belediye office and take with you a copy of your tapu and your passport.  You will be required to complete an application form then leave it with them, they then need to register you and you will be told if you owe any monies or not (possibly not at this early stage). Enquire if they think it will take long as we had to wait about 2 wks to get any update by which time we were back home so got a friend to do it. Oh and if you fancy a wheelie bin you can request one of those too.

Find out which water & electricity office is dealing with your property and then speak to them

If your are going to engage a management company most of these things will dealt with for you.

Don''''t forget you will need to insure your property also, that''''s just another little jobbie that needs doing.

You can get your gas at the shop at the petrol station and the last time we used them they delivered.

As for internet connections, not a clue sorry, and the bank personally I would open another account but best speak to you solicitor.

Anyway congratulations on your home in Kalkan and hope you really enjoy it - its all very exciting if not unnerving at times. 

 Certainly would also think about making a turkish will as you now have a property out there.

Hope this helps a little.

[felicity]

In addition to the good advice given by DRBD - re: the internet connection - you will need a telephone line run to your house - by the telephone company - again your Management Company can arrange that for you..!  You will either have to pay them to connect to the nearest poll and run the wire yourself (like we did) or pay them to do both jobs and once you have the line into your house, you can buy the telephone and then sign up with the telephone people for internet access too - all quite easy..!!

Don''t bother to get another bank account - too much trouble..!!  You can always relinquish the POA if you feel unsure..!! But do get a turkish will organised as DRBD says.

Your Management Company can help you sort out all these things - let me know if you want some help with finding someone or ask on the forum..you won''t need to pay for pool until April/May when they are cleaned out and filled - and you can negotiate with your management Company for the Winter looking after of your property - gardens, house security etc etc.

Certainly not daft questions - anything else  - do shout

[turkeyfan]

Thanks both of you for the information given.

With reference to the management company and maintenance we have been told that there is a £750 cost per year and think that is to the builders (but not really sure about that).  Can we sort out our own if it is an apartemnt with a shared pool?  There are 7 apartments on site but so far only two have been sold.

[felicity]

Mmm - I expect that is to the builder coz it is in his interest to keep the pool and gardens looking nice while he trys to sell the rest of them....I would say - on balance probably not worth going it alone until the apartments are all sold and then organise the communal areas between yourselves as apartment owners....of course nothing to stop you employing your management company for your interior ''looking after'' guests - if you rent out and security etc and explaining that more may follow if they do a good job when the rest of the aparts are sold....!!

Cheers!

[DRBD]

Agree with felicity, as its only you at the moment stick to the builders, as they will still be maintaining the other properties and be around alot of the time keeping everything in ship shape order.

 It would be a good idea to sit down and have a hard talk with them, see what is on offer, for how long and any "little " hidden agendas, if they are at all interested it will be in their best interest obviously to be of as much help and give advise as possible.

Remind them you have the option to go else where if not happy with what they offer you, as stated by felicity, plenty of advisors  around for you to have a chat with.

[Christine Kalkan]

I agree with the idea that you are better to stick with the builders, you can always change later when the other properties are sold if you are not happy. The builders should also help you put the wter and electricy into your name as it is in their interests not to have the accounts in their name, which they will be at the moment. The builders meter will be on ''ÅŸantiye'' or building work rates which are considerably higher than domestic rates. Be sure that the new accounts are ''mesken'' or domestic rates and get it transferred as soon as you get your tapu. It really isnt that difficult, particularly if you insist that it is done  at the time of tapu transfer as the builder will be bending backwards o keep you happy in order to get the remaining funds for the sale

[Jik]

Hi Felicity, to your comments regarding internet connection and getting connected and then running the wire yourselves? How far are you talking and how did you do it? I do not have lines to my apartment yet (next to Regency Hotel) and am desperately trying to find a way to get the lines to the building.I am  however being told there are no materials or resource to carry out the work..... Any suggestions? Its frustrating as the Regency obviously has lines and it seems I am so close but yet so far.....

[felicity]

Hi Jik - we have a telephone wire on the road not far from our house - so we got ''a man that does'' to dig a deep hole across the road - run the wire through a pipe which was then buried in the road (not sure where the proper wire came from - our maintenance man got it for us - think from the telephone people), my husband then ran the wire - much as you would electric cable along the wall of the property to the telephone box for our 2 villas and then connected it in there.  The telephone people picked up the cable from where it came out of the road - ran it up their pole and connected it into their box and hey presto...for a small fee of course..!!  I guess we ran the cable for about 25-50 metres - used normal cable grips etc etc and buried and hid it where we could.....sorry not good on distances..!!

I hope that helps..!!  You really need a turkish speaking person to get this going for you though...

[Jik]

Isn''t it amazing what you can do with a ''man that can''! Thanks felicity, it proves that it can be done, I just need to get the right people talking in the right language  Many Thanks

[The Reds]

Hi

If its any help to you after recently moving out her permanently... this is what we did. With regards to the phone/broadband connection we did it all through the Post Office. Bearing in mind we had no phone lines so someone came out from the Post Office (when we were out) and literally left a line hanging loose outside our villa. They never returned so we got an electrician we know to connect it for us. With the Internet we eventually got connection through Casper in Kalkan town centre just near the Denis bank and pay for the broadband through the Post Office. With regard the Electricity bills again we pay ours through the Post Office.

If you need Gas Bottles we were recommended to use Iprigaz (they deliver and fit the bottles for you and then fill them up when needed, apparently they should last about 12 months). We did get a lot of help when we moved out here from our Estate Agent who is also English and lives out here.

My husband has opened a bank account with the Deniz bank and the interest rates are pretty good. The staff are very helpful also. I use my Nationwide flex account as there is no charge when using this card at the ATM or when buying things.

If there is anything else I can help you with just give me a shout.

All the Best


Marie

[HEATH]

        Hi Kay,
                We are one of two owners in a block of severn apartments in Kalkan with shared pool.There is a water/electric meter for each apartment which you pay,and and one water/electric meter for pool and outside lighting which we pay 1/7 at end of season.The mainetence covers the gardens/pool chemicals & cleaning when someone in apartments.Is it possible that your apartment could be in the same block?
                                     Yours
                                              HEATH.

[turkeyfan]

Hi Heath,

Don''t think it would be same apartments because as far as I know only one other apartment has been sold. 

Our apartment is Palmiye, not far from the petrol station.

Where are you?

Kay

[HEATH]

             Hi Kay
                    We are not far from you we are in the Phoenix apartments they are just of the top road.Hope all goes well the your apartment next week.
                                      Yours
                                            Heath

[kolay gelsin]

Hello turkeyfan all your questions seem to be covered just to recap for you ,you should already have a bank account you can open as many as you wish i what ever currency you want i.e Lira ,sterling or euros. The builder should register the water and electric for you and the management company should offer a service to pay these if your not living here. You have to take your Tapu to the council office to pay you tax the management company may do this for you but be careful some tend to load this service. You must take out earthquake insurance will contents optional but i would get some flooding etc if you are not the top floor you can do this locally with Ali Turunce in the building next bezigan''s kitchen ( the old belidiye ) the contract is in English and will cost about 200 lira for both. You need a land line for adsl or share a wireless with a neighbour if possible as i think you still need a blue card for a phone line adsl is 29 lira a month.You can got gas and water delivered from most shops if you ask. I would think you will pay maint'' from May the cost sounds about right, my advise is don''t change unless everyone agrees and you have all set up a joint account to pay the new firm not all people
pay. If your solicitor is Bilgin he is a good man but you will have to push him. Hope this mail helps and enjoy your time in Kalakn