Across Sisli’s Esentepe and Fulya, what share of towers have central heating with share meters versus individual combi boilers, and how does that affect monthly dues?

There is no official, publicly released dataset that breaks down the exact share of central-heating-with-share-meters versus individual combi boiler systems at the neighborhood level for Esentepe and Fulya. The available official sources either report at the province or district scale, or regulate how costs must be shared where central systems exist. The legal framework, however, is clear on how monthly dues and heating expenses must be allocated under each system, which is what directly affects owners’ monthly payments.

What is known about heating systems data and where the gaps are

Official statistics in Turkey provide building and housing characteristics either nationally, provincially, or at the level of building permits and occupancy permits without identifying installed heating systems for individual neighborhoods such as Esentepe and Fulya in Şişli. TurkStat’s building and housing releases and related methodological notes do not publish a neighborhood-level distribution of heating system types; published outputs aggregate at higher geographic levels and do not separate “central with share meters” from “individual combi” at the mahalle scale for Istanbul districts.[1] Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Şişli Municipality publish development, zoning, and building stock materials, but their open publications do not provide an official, audited ratio by heating system type for Esentepe and Fulya towers that could be cited as a statistical share.[2] In practice, neighborhood towers in Şişli include both central systems equipped with heat cost allocators and individual combi boilers, but the exact neighborhood split is not available in official datasets suitable for citation.

Legal basis for cost allocation in central systems with share meters

Where a building in Turkey uses a central heating system, the allocation of heating and domestic hot water costs among the independent sections is governed by the Regulation on the Allocation of Heating and Sanitary Hot Water Expenses in Central Heating and Sanitary Hot Water Systems (Merkezi Isıtma ve Sıhhi Sıcak Su Sistemlerinde Isınma ve Sıhhi Sıcak Su Giderlerinin Paylaştırılmasına İlişkin Yönetmelik), published in the Official Gazette on 14 April 2008 and subsequently amended.[3] Under this regulation, buildings with central systems must install heat cost allocators or heat meters, and at least seventy percent of the heating energy cost must be apportioned according to measured individual consumption, while up to thirty percent is apportioned as a fixed share, generally based on the heated floor area or radiator capacity as defined in the building’s technical documentation.[3] The same regulation allows the condominium owners’ association (kat malikleri kurulu) to decide, within the regulation’s bounds, the exact method of allocation and the service provider performing the measurements and calculations, which is then reflected in the monthly statements to owners.[3] These provisions apply in Şişli’s Esentepe and Fulya wherever a tower operates a central system with compliant share meters, regardless of when the building was completed.

How individual combi boiler buildings handle costs and dues

In buildings where each apartment has its own combi boiler (bireysel kombi), the fuel and energy consumption for space heating and domestic hot water are individual utility obligations paid directly to the natural gas distributor or electricity supplier, not part of the common building expense pool. In Istanbul, residential natural gas distribution is provided under regulated tariffs by İGDAŞ, with current tariff schedules and unit price components published for consumers; individual apartment bills are issued directly to the contracting party and are not collected through the condominium association as a common expense.[4] Consequently, monthly building dues (aidat) in combi-equipped buildings exclude the variable heating consumption component and typically cover only common area costs, management fees, and any shared services unrelated to space heating. The legal framework for what constitutes common expenses and how they must be collected is set out in Article 20 of the Condominium Law No. 634 (Kat Mülkiyeti Kanunu), which obliges each owner to participate in common expenses in proportion to their land share (arsa payı) unless the management plan stipulates a different rule permitted by law.[5] Heating costs do not fall into common expenses in an individual combi setup because the consumption is metered per dwelling and contracted individually.

How central systems influence monthly dues in practice

In central heating buildings, the heating energy is procured for the building as a whole, and the total cost is a common expense that must be allocated according to the Heat Sharing Regulation. In practice, condominium managers often include the heating prepayments and reconciliations within monthly dues or collect them as a separate “heating” line item appearing alongside the regular aidat, but in both cases the legal basis is the same: at least seventy percent of the heating portion must follow measured consumption, and the remainder is allocated on a fixed basis defined by the regulation or the adopted calculation methodology.[3] The Condominium Law requires owners to pay advances (avans) for common expenses decided by the owners’ assembly; these advances may include estimated heating costs during the season, subject to end-of-period settlement based on measured consumption reports from the authorized heat cost allocator company.[5] If a unit remains unheated, the regulation still foresees a minimum charge based on the fixed share to ensure building-level system integrity and prevent free riding, which also appears in the monthly statements under the fixed allocation component.[3]

Practical implications for buyers comparing Esentepe and Fulya towers

For a buyer comparing two towers in Esentepe or Fulya, the financial difference is not derived from a published neighborhood share of system types, but from the building-specific setup disclosed in the management plan, the presence of compliant heat cost allocators, and the condominium decisions that implement the regulation. A central system with share meters shifts a significant part of the heating burden into the common expense framework, allocated predominantly by measured consumption and settled through the building’s management. An individual combi system keeps the heating burden entirely on the private utility bill, leaving the monthly aidat to reflect only non-heating common costs. The Energy Performance of Buildings Regulation requires every building to maintain an Energy Performance Certificate (enerji kimlik belgesi), which must identify the building’s energy characteristics and systems; reviewing this document and the building’s management plan provides verifiable insight into the installed heating system and expected cost allocation mechanics before purchase.[6] For transaction-specific budgeting or to estimate seasonal variability, a licensed attorney or accountant should review the management plan, recent budget resolutions, and last year’s heating settlement reports for the exact building in question.

Summary

No official source provides a reliable percentage split between central-with-share-meters and individual combi boiler systems specifically for Esentepe and Fulya towers that can be cited as a neighborhood statistic. However, Turkish regulations define precisely how heating costs must be distributed when a central system exists, and the Condominium Law defines how common expenses and advances are set and collected. In a central system, the heating component appears in the common expense framework and is allocated at least seventy percent by measured consumption and up to thirty percent by a fixed share. In an individual combi setup, heating costs are billed directly to each dwelling by the utility and do not form part of the monthly aidat beyond common-area obligations. For any purchase decision, the appropriate path is to verify the building’s system and cost rules through the Energy Performance Certificate, the management plan, and recent owners’ assembly resolutions, with professional review for your specific situation.

Related Questions:
– Q2 (How are heating costs allocated in Turkish condominiums with central systems under the Heat Sharing Regulation?)
– Q3 (What does Article 20 of the Condominium Law require owners to pay as monthly dues and advances?)
– Q4 (What documents reveal a building’s heating system and cost structure before purchase in Istanbul?)
– Q5 (How do natural gas tariffs in Istanbul affect apartment-level heating bills with individual combi boilers?)

References:
[1] Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat). “Construction and Housing Statistics: Methodology and Publications.” https://data.tuik.gov.tr
[2] Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. “Open Data Portal and Publications (Building/Urban Data Overview).” https://data.ibb.gov.tr
[3] Official Gazette (Resmi Gazete). “Regulation on the Allocation of Heating and Sanitary Hot Water Expenses in Central Heating and Sanitary Hot Water Systems (14.04.2008; subsequent amendments).” https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr
[4] Istanbul Gas Distribution Company (İGDAŞ). “Tariffs and Consumer Information.” https://www.igdas.istanbul
[5] Official Gazette (Resmi Gazete). “Condominium Law No. 634 (Kat Mülkiyeti Kanunu), Article 20.” https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr
[6] Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. “Energy Performance of Buildings Regulation and Energy Performance Certificate.” https://www.csb.gov.tr

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Property law and tax rules in Turkey change frequently. Consult a licensed Turkish lawyer, accountant, or real estate professional before making any purchasing decision.