Ministry of Trade imposes administrative fine for misleading real estate listing

As part of its inspections against misleading listing practices in the real estate sector, the Ministry of Trade imposed an administrative fine of 28,620 TL on the relevant business due to an apartment listing on a digital platform that showed the sale price as 2 million liras, while phone calls revealed that this amount was actually the down payment.

Teams from the Department of Sectoral Trade and Chattel Pledges under the General Directorate of Internal Trade of the Ministry of Trade placed a real estate listing under review following citizen complaints and findings. The investigation revealed that an apartment was listed on a digital platform with a sale price of 2 million TL, but individuals who called the number in the listing were told that this figure was not the final sale price but merely the down payment amount.

Due to this practice, which influences consumers' decisions and manipulates the negotiation process, Ministry officials applied legal sanctions against the business concerned. In a statement made by Bekir Kaplan from the Press and Public Relations Consultancy of the Ministry of Trade, it was announced that an administrative fine of 28,620 TL was issued to the business in question. Officials stated that inspections in the region and punitive actions against listing owners who mislead consumers through similar methods will continue.