We are not permanently resident in Turkey but have a property on a sitesi with about 40 houses which we bought in 2007. Houses on the sitesi are mainly Turkish-owned but with an increasing number of non-Turkish owners. We have let the property to families over the summer months for a minimum period of a week at a time. Most lets are for two weeks. We have been told by the sitesi management that by doing so we are running an illegal business and that it is forbidden under Turkish law as residential estates have the same status as an apartment block with each house, as far as the law is concerned, a flat.

The AGM of the sitesi took a decision that homes on the estate let out as "Holiday Let" accommodation would be charged five times the standard service charge through the three-month holiday season and that such homes could not be hired out as such in future. Are they within their power to prevent us letting our villa? We have never signed any type of agreement with the sitesi, nor did we think when we were buying an expensive villa we we would not be able to let. What are our rights as owners to let our property as we wish?

I have not read anywhere that a sitesi management are able to charge a different aidat to different houses or be able to dictate to individual owners whether they can let the property they own. Advice gratefully sought.