gerald

The practice of undervaluing property fot tax purposes has always been of concern to me. It is not legal and the penalties are severe. Check out this page on the Turkish Embassy website, not just before bedtime though as it could induce nightmares:

http://home.btconnect.com/TURKISHEC..._taxevasion.htm

lorraine

Your point is taken, and we are all the wiser after the event, however, most foriegner coming over to purchase have not the first inkling of what the Tapu is or what they are looking at (I was that green) so you leave it to the professionals agents and lawyers, and yes the lawyers do this too, under declare, leaving the unsuspecting foreign purchaser totally oblivious to this fact.

The government officers in the council offices know this also, they can all read and see the estate agents windows, so who does one blame. food for thought.

gerald

Lorraine,
It's all about what risk you want to take, I reasearched before my purchase and my ea thought that I was foolish to declare the correct price and some may say he was right. Its just that the penalties are more than I am willing to bear, and the possibility of the authorities detecting the evasion are just too easy for my liking.

Of course everybody makes their own mind up on this type of thing but my view is that Tax men are Tax men whatever country you are in, futhermore, and particularly when a guest in anothers country I try to abide by their laws, after all I expect them to abide by ours.