Legal Basis: Law No. 6306 Article 4/3 | Implementing Regulation Article 8/3c

Your building has been declared a risky structure, a demolition period has been given, but the people inside have not yet moved out. Can the administration cut off electricity, water, and natural gas at this point? By whom is the cut-off decision made, under what conditions is it applied, can it be appealed, and what are your rights in this process? This article addresses the service interruption in all its dimensions within the framework of Article 4/3 of Law No. 6306 and Article 8/3c of the Implementing Regulation. (Law Art. 4/3 — Reg. Art. 8/3c)

IMPORTANT NOTE :

In the decision dated 12/02/2026 and numbered E:2025/5279 of the Fourth Chamber of the Council of State; the enforcement of subparagraph (c) of paragraph 3 of Article 8 of the Implementing Regulation of Law No. 6306 was suspended on the grounds that it is contrary to the superior norm, the law, as it does not include the condition of “obtaining the opinion of the right holders” found in the legal provision underlying the said regulation, that in this state it is clearly contrary to law, and that its implementation could lead to difficult or impossible damages for the parties concerned.

What Does the Law Say? Basic Provision

Paragraph 3 of Article 4 of Law No. 6306 has introduced a very clear provision on this matter:

“During implementation, if requested by the Presidency, TOKİ, or the Administration, and by taking into account the views of the right holders, electricity, water, and natural gas shall not be supplied to structures in areas covered by this Law and to risky structures, and the services provided shall be stopped by the relevant institutions and organizations.” (Art. 4/3 of the Law)

Article 8/3c of the Implementation Regulation concretizes this provision: For risky structures not demolished within the period given by the owner, the non-supply of electricity, water, and natural gas and the stopping of provided services are requested from the relevant institutions and organizations. It is mandatory for the relevant institutions and organizations to fulfill this request of the Administration. (Art. 8/3c of the Regulation)

This regulation was strengthened in 2023 by Law No. 7471, and the authority to terminate subscription agreements was also given to the Urban Transformation Presidency. (Law No. 7471 — Art. 4/3 of the Law)

When Does Service Interruption Come into Effect?

The Law and the Regulation have not made this authority usable without limit. Service interruption is a sanction tool that comes at the end of a specific chain. (Art. 5/3 of the Law — Art. 8/3 of the Regulation)

Triggering Conditions

The decision for interruption becomes relevant when the following conditions are met together:

1. The hazardous structure determination must have become final: No objection must have been made, or any objection made must have been rejected. (Art. 3/1 of the Law — Art. 7/5 of the Regulation)

2. Proper execution of the demolition-eviction notice: The report must have been posted on the building, an e-Government notification sent, and publicly announced at the mukhtar’s office for 15 days. (Law Art. 5/5 — Reg. Art. 8/2)

3. Expiration of the first demolition period: The first period of 60–90 days given by the administration must have been completed, and the building must still not have been demolished. (Law Art. 5/3 — Reg. Art. 8/3a)

4. Expiration of the additional period: The 30-day additional period given after the first period must also have been completed, and the building must still not have been demolished. (Reg. Art. 8/3a)

Only when these four conditions are met concurrently can the service cut-off procedure be initiated. Any service cut-off made before this is unlawful and may be subject to an annulment lawsuit.

Caution in Practice: There are complaints that some municipalities cut services before the demolition periods have expired. In a case observed in February 2026, electricity, water, and natural gas were cut off before the building’s 90-day evacuation period expired and before a demolition permit was obtained. Such practices are unlawful and can be annulled in administrative court.

Who Decides on Service Cut-off?

The authorized bodies that can request service cut-off are: (Law Art. 4/3)

Urban Transformation Presidency

TOKİ

The Administration (municipalities and provincial special administrations)

A request from one of these institutions —the relevant service provider institution (such as TEDAŞ/distribution companies, water authorities like İSKİ/ASKİ, BOTAŞ, and natural gas distribution companies)— makes it mandatory to stop the services provided for the structure. If the service provider institution rejects the request, liability arises.

With the amendment after 2023, this process has been facilitated: The Urban Transformation Presidency can now directly terminate subscription contracts. The consent of the owner or tenant is not required. (Law No. 7471 — Article 4/3)

Are the Opinions of Right Holders Taken Before Services Are Cut?

Article 4/3 of the Law includes the phrase “by taking the opinions of the right holders as well”. However, this phrase does not stipulate the owner’s consent; obtaining opinions is an element of the process, not the sole determinant of the disconnection decision. (Article 4/3)

In practice, this consultation usually takes place in the form of a warning included in the demolition notice. This means that at the notification stage, the owner is informed in advance with the phrase “if not demolished within the period, your services will be stopped.”

Which Services Are Being Cut?

The services to be cut under the Law and Regulation are as follows: (Law Article 4/3 — Regulation Article 8/3c)

Telephone, internet, and other communication services are outside this scope. Only essential life services are disconnected.

IMPORTANT NOTE :

In the decision of the Fourth Chamber of the Council of State dated 12/02/2026 and numbered E:2025/5279; the enforcement of sub-paragraph (c) of paragraph 3 of article 8 of the Implementing Regulation of Law No. 6306 was suspended on the grounds that it is contrary to the superior norm (the law) because it does not include the condition “obtaining the opinion of the right holders” found in the Law provision on which the regulation is based, that in its current form it is clearly contrary to law, and that if applied, it could cause damages that would be difficult or impossible for those concerned to remedy.

To Obtain a Demolition Permit, It is Necessary to Document the Disconnection of Services

The sanction of service cut-off is not one-sided. Even if the owner wishes to demolish the building themselves, it is mandatory to document that the services have been shut down. For a demolition permit; (Reg. Art. 8/3b)

Document proving the evacuation of the building

Documents obtained from relevant institutions indicating that electricity, water, and natural gas services have been shut down

are required. Without these documents, a demolition permit will not be issued. Therefore, owners who wish to carry out demolition voluntarily must also shut down these services beforehand.

What Happens After Services Are Cut Off?

Service cut-off is not the final link in the chain. After the cut-off, the process continues as follows: (Law Art. 5/3-4 — Reg. Art. 8/3c)

1. Notification to the Civil Authority: Risky structures not demolished by their owners are reported to the civil authority. (Reg. Art. 8/3c)

2. Administrative Demolition: The evacuation and demolition procedures of the structure are carried out or arranged by the Administration with the support of law enforcement provided by civil authorities. (Law Art. 5/3 — Reg. Art. 8/3c)

3. Written Notification to the Administration by the Presidency: The demolition of risky structures determined not to have been demolished within the given period is reported in writing to the Administration by the Presidency. (Law Art. 5/4 — Reg. Art. 8/4)

4. Forced Evacuation: In case evacuation is obstructed, forced evacuation is carried out by sufficient law enforcement personnel based on a written permit issued by the civil administrative authority. (Law Art. 5/4 — Reg. Art. 8/5)

5. Collection of Demolition Costs: Costs incurred in all these stages are collected from the owners in proportion to their shares, according to Law No. 6183. (Art. 5/4 of the Law — Art. 8/8 of the Regulation)

IMPORTANT NOTE :

In the decision of the Fourth Chamber of the Council of State, dated 12/02/2026 and numbered E:2025/5279; the execution of subparagraph (c) of the 3rd paragraph of the 8th article of the Implementation Regulation of Law No. 6306 was suspended on the grounds that it contradicts the superior norm, the law, as it does not contain the condition of “obtaining the views of the rights holders” stipulated in the law provision on which the said regulation is based, and that in its current form, it is clearly contrary to the law and, if implemented, could cause damages that are difficult or impossible to rectify for those concerned.

What Can Be Done If Service Interruption Is Unlawful?

The decision to cut off services may be unlawful in the following situations:

If the cut-off was made before the first demolition period had expired

If the cut-off was applied directly without granting an additional 30-day period

If the cut-off was carried out before the demolition-eviction notice was properly served

If services were cut off before a demolition permit was issued

In these situations, the following actions can be taken:

Administrative appeal: A written objection can be made to the Administration that issued the cut-off decision. (Art. 6/9 of the Law)

Action for annulment and stay of execution: An action for annulment can be filed in the Administrative Court within 30 days from the date of notification. It is vital to request a stay of execution (YD) decision from the court for the services to be re-provided. (K. Md. 6/9 — İYUK Md. 27)

Human rights dimension: Unlawful disconnections in buildings, especially those inhabited by elderly, disabled, sick people, or families with children, may violate fundamental human rights; this situation may be the subject of separate applications before the administrative court and the Personal Data Protection Authority.

IMPORTANT NOTE :

In the decision of the Fourth Chamber of the Council of State dated 12/02/2026 and numbered E:2025/5279; the execution of sub-paragraph (c) of paragraph 3 of Article 8 of the Implementation Regulation of Law No. 6306 was suspended on the grounds that it is contrary to the higher norm, the law, as it does not include the condition “obtaining the opinion of the right holders” stipulated in the Law provision on which the said regulation is based, that there is a clear contradiction to the law in its current form, and that its implementation could lead to damages that are difficult or impossible to remedy for the parties concerned.

Invoice Requirement for Rent Assistance Application

Service disconnection practically brings another problem: In rent assistance applications, electricity, water, or natural gas bills for the last 3 months are required. Since these bills cannot be obtained after services are disconnected, it is critically important to have your bill documents before applying. (Y. Md. 16/4)

Practical Tip: Submit your rent assistance application before services are cut off —that is, within 1 year from the eviction date. Gather all necessary documents for the application in advance.

Practical Warnings

Cuts made before the deadline are unlawful. Service cuts made before the first demolition period and the additional 30-day period expire are unlawful; they can be cancelled in an administrative court within 30 days. (K. Md. 5/3 — K. Md. 6/9)

Regularly follow notification channels. Notifications are deemed delivered on the last day of the headman’s announcement, and deadlines start from that day. Keep e-Devlet notifications active; track deadlines day by day. (K. Md. 5/5 — Y. Md. 8/2)

Consider disconnecting utilities yourself. It is mandatory for services to be disconnected to obtain a demolition permit. If you do this yourself, you will both speed up the process and prevent the Administration from forcibly cutting off services.

Apply for rent assistance in advance. Access to bills becomes difficult with service cuts. Do not miss the 1-year application period from the eviction date. (Y. Md. 16/4)

You can create a special situation for ill and disabled individuals. If there is a patient dependent on a device, a disabled person, or a seriously ill person in the building, report this situation in writing to the Administration and object to the cut-off decision. The court takes this situation into consideration when evaluating.

Preventing service disconnection constitutes a crime. Preventing authorized teams from cutting off services constitutes a crime under the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). (K. Md. 8/3 — Y. Md. 8/6)

IMPORTANT NOTE :

In the decision of the Fourth Chamber of the Council of State dated 12/02/2026 and numbered E:2025/5279; the enforcement of paragraph 3, subparagraph (c) of Article 8 of the Implementation Regulation of Law No. 6306 has been suspended on the grounds that it is contrary to the higher norm, the law, as it does not include the condition of “obtaining the views of the right holders” found in the legal provision on which the regulation is based, that there is a clear violation of the law in its current form, and that if applied, it could cause damages that would be difficult or impossible to remedy for those concerned.

Why is Expert Legal Support Necessary?

The service interruption process in a risky building is a stage that leads to serious consequences from both technical and legal perspectives. As 2M Hukuk Avukatlık Ofisi, in the consultancy services we provide in the field of urban transformation law throughout Istanbul, especially in Tuzla, we observe the following:

Illegal service cuts are frequently experienced. Service interruptions carried out before the demolition period expires or without proper notification are still on the agenda in 2026. An urban transformation lawyer can immediately identify such actions and file a lawsuit for annulment with a request for a stay of execution.

Cuts continue without a SOE decision. Filing an annulment lawsuit alone is not sufficient; services are not re-established without a SOE decision from the court. With the support of an Istanbul urban transformation lawyer, both the petition and technical justifications are properly structured, increasing the likelihood of the SOE request being granted. (Administrative Procedure Law Art. 27)

Legal pressure is effective in cases involving sick and disabled individuals. Emergency objection petitions prepared within the scope of urban transformation consultancy against service cutoffs for patients or disabled individuals who are dependent on devices are primarily reviewed by the courts.

Strategically manage the rental assistance process. Reaching an agreement before a service cutoff and making the rental assistance application at the right time ensures maximum benefit from the supports. 2M Hukuk Law Office, operating as a Tuzla lawyer, provides legal support throughout Istanbul, from the beginning to the end of this process —from objecting to the determination to rental assistance, from service cutoff cancellation lawsuits to negotiation of agreements—. (Law Art. 5/1 — Reg. Art. 16/1)

Conclusion

According to Article 4/3 of Law No. 6306 and Article 8/3c of the Implementation Regulation, it is possible to stop electricity, water, and natural gas services in risky buildings; however, this authority can only be exercised after certain conditions are met —that is, after the first demolition period (60-90 days) and the additional period (30 days) have expired. Service provider institutions are obligated to fulfill this request. Following the cutoff, stages of administrative demolition, forced eviction, and collection of costs from the owner come into play. Cutoffs made without the conditions being met are unlawful and can be annulled in administrative court within 30 days. (Law Art. 4/3 — Reg. Art. 8/3c — Law Art. 6/9)

This article has been prepared based on official sources and current open data from the Urban Transformation Presidency, as of April 2026, in accordance with Law No. 6306 (Art. 4/3) and the Implementation Regulation (Art. 8/3c). Since each specific situation may vary, it is recommended that you seek support from an expert urban transformation lawyer in legal processes.