Rents leap after the earthquake

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Most people affected by the February 6 earthquakes in Türkiye have to move to other cities. The increasing rents in the unaffected parts of the cities and in surrounding cities are a source of great concern.

Although there are efforts to solve the accommodation problems of people affected by the disastrous earthquakes of February 6, the rents of houses in many cities increased more than 50 percent according to reports in local and national newspapers.

From monthly to yearly ads

For instance, the monthly rent of a two-room flat in the parts of Diyarbakır which was not affected by the earthquake rose from 3 thousand lira to around 7 thousand 500 lira. Rents that were 800 lira increased to 4,000 lira in Elazığ.

The Bar Association of Elazığ made a criminal complaint about the unjust increases in rents.

Mersin and Ankara are destinations

The rents which were 5,000 lira at the city center in Mersin before leaped to 10,000. And in Silifke and Erdemli districts, the rents went up to around 20,000 lira. And the real estate ads started to be given yearly, requesting advance payment for one year.

The capital is also receiving many from the earthquake region. The rents in Ankara jumped up sharply.

Hakan Akçam, the chairperson of the Ankara real estate agents' chamber says that the agents took a decision not to get a commission from the earthquake victims and that he talked to the 7 thousand ad givers.

"A policy needed"

Akçam told bianet that this disaster has not only affected that region but the whole of Türkiye.

"Since Ankara is one city where there are no collapsed buildings although shaken by the earthquake, there is a great demand to move here. Therefore both the rents and the selling prices of the houses increased," he said.

Akçam believes that a policy should be established in order to be able to stop the peaking prices. (NK/EMK/PE)