The Service I Received Turned Out To Be Incomplete, How Can I Apply for My Consumer Rights?

Every day, millions of consumers in Turkey enter into agreements for services. From home renovations and vehicle repairs to catering, cleaning, health and beauty treatments, education, and telecommunications, modern life is built upon a complex web of service contracts. You pay a service provider, and in return, you expect to receive a service that meets the promised standards, is completed on time, and addresses your needs. But what happens when the service falls short? When the paint on your newly renovated walls begins to peel within a week, when the wedding photographer delivers only half of the promised album, or when the private tutor leaves your child’s curriculum unfinished halfway through the term?

Turkish law provides a robust and comprehensive framework for the protection of consumers in precisely these situations. The cornerstone of this framework is the Consumer Protection Law (Tüketicinin Korunması Hakkında Kanun, Law No. 6502), which entered into force on 28 May 2014. This law, together with its secondary regulations, the Turkish Code of Obligations (Türk Borçlar Kanunu, Law No. 6098), and the general principles of the Turkish legal system, grants you a wide array of rights and remedies when a service is delivered incompletely or defectively. You are not left helpless; the law is designed to rebalance the inherently unequal relationship between the individual consumer and the commercial service provider. This guide will walk you through the entire process of asserting your rights, from identifying that a service has been delivered incompletely, to documenting your case, filing a complaint with the appropriate authority, negotiating with the service provider, and, if necessary, pursuing legal action. All explanations are grounded in the specific articles of Turkish legislation, the jurisprudence of the Court of Cassation (Yargıtay), and the decisions of the Advertising Board and Consumer Arbitration Committees. Understanding these mechanisms empowers you to move from a position of frustration to one of effective action.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1. The Definition of a Consumer and a Service Provider

Before delving into the specifics of defective services, it is essential to understand who is considered a consumer under Turkish law. Article 3 of the Consumer Protection Law No. 6502 defines a “consumer” as any natural or legal person who acts for non-commercial or non-professional purposes. This definition is intentionally broad. If you hire a cleaning company for your private home, you are a consumer. If you sign up for an online language course for personal development, you are a consumer. However, if you are a business owner purchasing a service for your commercial enterprise, you generally fall outside the scope of Law No. 6502 and your dispute would be resolved under the Turkish Code of Obligations and the Commercial Code (Law No. 6102).

Conversely, a “service provider” is defined as any natural or legal person, including public legal entities, who offers or provides services to consumers for a fee or benefit. This covers a vast range of actors, from large corporations like banks and telecommunication companies to self-employed craftsmen, freelancers, and artisans.

1.2. The Concept of Defective Service (Ayıplı Hizmet)

The legal concept that directly addresses your incomplete service is “defective service” (ayıplı hizmet). Article 13 of Law No. 6502 defines a service as defective if it does not commence or conclude within the agreed-upon timeframe, or if it deviates from the qualities that the parties stipulated, that are included in its description, or that are objectively expected. An incomplete service is a primary example of a defective service.

To be more precise, a service is defective if:

It is not provided at all within the promised time;

It is provided in part, leaving significant portions of the agreed work unfinished;

The completed portions are of a quality that fails to meet the agreed standards or the reasonable expectations of the consumer, rendering the service useless or diminished in value;

It lacks the qualities that the consumer reasonably expected based on the provider’s advertisements, brochures, or the general standards of the profession.

The Regulation on Defective Goods and Services (Ayıplı Mal ve Hizmetler Yönetmeliği), published in the Official Gazette on 30 October 2014, further elaborates on these standards. Article 8 of the Regulation states that a service is defective if the service provider fails to provide it in accordance with the contract, or provides it with material, legal, or economic defects that eliminate or reduce its value or the benefits expected by the consumer.

1.3. The Service Provider’s Obligation of Performance and the Warranty Against Defects

Under Turkish law, a service contract creates a binding obligation upon the service provider to perform the service with skill and care, in accordance with the terms of the agreement and the legitimate expectations of the consumer. This is anchored in the general principle of pacta sunt servanda (agreements must be kept), which is enshrined in the Turkish Civil Code (Law No. 4721, Article 2 on good faith) and the Code of Obligations.

The law imposes a legal warranty obligation on the service provider with respect to defective services. Under Article 13 of Law No. 6502, a service is deemed defective if it fails to conform to the agreed specifications or to the qualities that the consumer is objectively entitled to expect. Where a defective service has been provided, the consumer is entitled to the specific remedies listed in Article 15 of the same Law. The provider is liable for these defects regardless of whether they were aware of them at the time the contract was concluded. This liability cannot be contractually waived to the detriment of the consumer. Any clause in a service agreement that attempts to limit or exclude the provider’s liability for defective services is void under Article 4 of the Law, which prohibits unfair terms in consumer contracts.

This means that even if the provider’s contract contains a clause stating “the provider is not responsible for the completeness of the service,” such a clause is legally invalid. You retain all your statutory rights regardless of what the contract says. This is a crucial protection that underscores the public policy nature of consumer law in Turkey.

CHAPTER TWO

2.1. Common Indicators of an Incomplete Service

An incomplete service is not always a case of outright refusal to work. More often, it manifests in subtle ways that leave the consumer questioning whether their dissatisfaction is justified. Recognizing these indicators is the first step toward a successful claim.

Consider the following scenarios, all of which constitute a defective service under Turkish law:

The service was promised to be completed by a specific date (for example, a kitchen renovation to be finished by 15 May), yet as of that date, significant work remains undone. The mere fact of a missed deadline, without a valid and communicated reason, is a defect under Article 13 of Law No. 6502. You contracted for a package of ten private lessons but only received seven. The provider unilaterally decided to shorten the course without your consent. The three missing lessons represent a quantitative defect. You hired a professional painter to apply a specific, high-end brand of paint. You later discover that a cheaper, lower-quality substitute was used. The service was performed, but the quality of materials was substandard, rendering the overall service defective. A wedding planning package includes venue decoration, catering, and photography. The caterer arrives and serves the meal, but the photographer fails to show up. The overall service package is incomplete and thus defective.,

A plumber starts repairing a complex pipe system, works on it for an hour, then declares the job is “too difficult” and leaves, refusing to return or find a replacement. The service is abandoned mid-way, which is a clear breach of contract.

2.2. Distinguishing Incomplete Service from Total Non-Performance

It is important to distinguish an incomplete service from a case where the service provider never performs at all. If you paid a deposit for a car repair and the mechanic never started the work, this is total non-performance. Your remedy in such a case may also include the right to rescind the contract and demand a refund under the general provisions of the Code of Obligations. An incomplete service, on the other hand, involves partial performance, which may entitle you to different remedies, such as a proportional reduction in price or the completion of the service by a third party at the original provider’s expense.

2.3. The Importance of the Contract, Advertisements, and Prior Communications

The benchmark against which the service’s completeness is measured is the agreement between you and the provider. This agreement does not have to be a formal written contract. It can be formed through a combination of documents:

A written contract signed by both parties (the strongest form of evidence).

A detailed proforma invoice or work order specifying the scope of the job.

Email exchanges, WhatsApp messages, or SMS correspondence where the details of the service are discussed.

Brochures, catalogues, or advertisements for the service. Under Article 61 of Law No. 6502, advertisements and promotional materials are considered part of the consumer contract. If an advertisement promises “full house cleaning including all windows,” the provider cannot later claim that cleaning the windows was not part of the deal.

Oral agreements, though harder to prove, are still binding under Turkish law. The difficulty lies solely in the evidentiary stage; this is why documenting everything is so critical.

CHAPTER THREE

3.1. The Evidentiary Golden Rule: Write Everything Down

In any legal dispute, the party who asserts a claim must prove it. This principle, enshrined in Article 6 of the Turkish Civil Code (Law No. 4721), places the burden of proof on you, the consumer, to demonstrate that the service was incomplete or defective. The service provider, on the other hand, must prove that they performed the service fully and correctly once you have established a prima facie case of a defect. However, you must first provide sufficient evidence to shift the burden to the other side.

Your documentation should be meticulous and begin the moment you realize there is a problem. The following elements are essential:

Secure a copy of any signed contract, service order, or invoice. If you signed a contract on the spot, take a photo of it with your phone. Bank transfer receipts, credit card statements, or signed cash receipts are crucial. They prove the existence of the service relationship and the amount paid.

Visual evidence is immensely powerful. Take clear, date-stamped photographs of the unfinished work. For example, photograph the unpainted wall, the exposed electrical wires, or the half-assembled furniture. Videos can document the state of the work and can also serve as a record if you conduct a walk-through inspection with the provider present. From the moment you notice the defect, shift all your communication with the service provider to written and traceable channels. Prefer email over phone calls. If a conversation happens by phone, send a follow-up email summarizing the conversation: “As per our phone call today, you confirmed that the installation is only 70% complete and you will return next Tuesday to finish. Please confirm.” This creates a contemporaneous written record.

If a neighbor, friend, or family member witnessed the state of the work or heard a relevant conversation, ask them to provide a signed written statement. Under Turkish civil procedure, witness testimony is admissible in court, especially for claims below the monetary threshold for the application of the strict rules of proof.

3.2. The Formal Notification (İhtarname)

For serious cases or when the provider is unresponsive, you should consider sending a formal notice (ihtarname) through a notary public. This is a legally significant act that formally notifies the other party of the breach of contract, sets a reasonable deadline for performance, and declares your intention to pursue specific remedies if the deadline is not met.

The advantages of an ihtarname are manifold:

It is an official, indisputable document proving that you notified the provider. It establishes a clear date from which the provider is in default (temerrüt). Under Article 117 of the Turkish Code of Obligations, a debtor is in default upon the receipt of a notice from the creditor. It is a powerful psychological tool that signals you are serious and prepared to take legal action.

Your notary-sent notice should clearly state:

1. The details of the service contract (date, subject, price);

2. A precise description of the incomplete or defective work;

3. The specific remedy you are demanding (e.g., completion of the work within 10 days);

4. A warning that you will pursue other legal remedies, including having the work completed by a third party at the provider’s expense, or rescinding the contract and demanding a refund, if the deadline is not met.

CHAPTER FOUR

Article 15 of the Consumer Protection Law No. 6502 sets out the consumer’s optional rights in the event of a defective service. These rights are alternatives; you, the consumer, are free to choose the one that best suits your situation. The service provider is obligated to fulfill your chosen demand without delay. The four explicit remedies are as follows:

You can demand that the service provider perform the service again, correctly and completely. This is the most direct remedy and corresponds to the idea of proper performance. For instance, you tell the painter, “You missed the hallway; please return and paint it as agreed, at no additional cost.” If the defect is relatively minor or if you prefer to keep the partially performed service, you can demand a discount proportional to the extent of the defect. For example, if you paid for a 10-session course and only 8 were held, you are entitled to a 20% refund on the total price, while retaining the benefit of the 8 sessions you received. If the nature of the service allows for replacement—such as a standard package or a fungible service—you may request that the provider supply the same service anew, free of defects. This is particularly common in services involving the delivery of goods or standardized tasks.

In cases where the service is so fundamentally incomplete or defective that it is essentially useless to you, you can rescind the contract entirely. You must return whatever benefit you may have received, and you are entitled to a full refund of the price you paid. For example, if you hired a caterer for a wedding and they brought food for only 20 people out of 200, rendering the entire catering service a failure, you could rescind the contract and demand your money back. It is crucial to understand that the choice among these four remedies belongs solely to the consumer. The provider cannot unilaterally decide to give you a discount when you demand re-performance. The Court of Cassation has consistently affirmed that the consumer’s choice of remedy is binding on the provider as long as it is made in good faith and does not constitute an abuse of right. The provider must comply; if they fail to do so, the consumer can enforce their right through legal proceedings.

Although not listed in Article 15 of Law No. 6502, Turkish law provides an important supplementary remedy rooted in the general provisions of the Code of Obligations. If the service provider does not comply with your chosen remedy—for example, you demanded re-performance and they ignored you—the provider is in default (temerrüt). Under Article 113 of the Turkish Code of Obligations, a creditor whose debtor fails to perform an obligation may, after giving the debtor a reasonable additional period of time, have the obligation performed by a third party at the debtor’s expense. This means you can hire another professional to complete the unfinished or defective work and then claim the cost from the original provider. You must first put the provider in default by setting a clear, reasonable deadline and warning of this consequence.

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1. The Structure of Consumer Dispute Resolution in Turkey

Turkey has established a specialized, two-tiered system for resolving consumer disputes outside of and within the formal court structure. The goal of this system is to provide consumers with an accessible, swift, and low-cost avenue for justice. The system is primarily governed by Articles 66 through 73 of Law No. 6502 and the Regulation on Consumer Arbitration Committees (Tüketici Hakem Heyetleri Yönetmeliği). The competent authority to handle your complaint is determined by the monetary value of the dispute. The thresholds are updated annually by the Ministry of Trade and announced in the Official Gazette. For the year 2024, the financial limits are as follows (the 2025 limits will be announced at the end of 2024 and should be confirmed before filing):

These committees, operating under the Provincial and District Directorates of Trade, handle disputes where the value of the claim is below the upper limit. For 2024, this upper limit is 104,000 Turkish Liras. The committees are composed of a chairperson appointed by the Governor and members representing consumers and traders. For disputes exceeding the monetary threshold of the Arbitration Committees, the case must be filed directly before the specialized Consumer Courts. In districts where no separate Consumer Court exists, the Civil Court of First Instance is designated to handle consumer cases.

Which one applies to you?

1. Determine the value of your claim. This is the amount you are seeking—whether it is the cost of completing the service, the discount you demand, or the full price you paid.

2. If this amount is below the annual threshold (104,000 TL for 2024), you must apply to the Consumer Arbitration Committee in the district where you reside or where the service was contracted. An application to the Consumer Court for a claim within the Committee’s jurisdiction will be dismissed on procedural grounds.

3. If the amount is above the threshold, you can file your lawsuit directly in the Consumer Court, after mandatory mediation.

5.2. Applying to the Consumer Arbitration Committee

The application process is designed to be consumer-friendly and does not require a lawyer, although legal assistance is always beneficial. The steps are as follows:

Your file must contain a signed petition. The petition should clearly state your name, Turkish ID number, address, and contact information; the name and address of the service provider; the date and amount of the transaction; a concise explanation of the defect; your chosen remedy (e.g., “I demand a refund of 15,000 TL as a proportional price reduction”); and a list of attached evidence. Attach copies of all your documentation: the service contract or invoice, bank receipts proving payment, photos and videos (on a USB drive or CD), a copy of the notary notice, and any written correspondence. Applications can be submitted in person, by mail, or electronically through the e-Government (e-Devlet) portal. The e-Devlet system is highly efficient and automatically routes your application to the competent District Consumer Arbitration Committee. The Committee will review the file and may summon the parties for a hearing. It is also authorized to appoint an expert witness to examine the technical aspects of the dispute. According to Article 70 of Law No. 6502, the Committee must render its decision within six months. This period is intended to provide a swift resolution. Decisions of the Consumer Arbitration Committee up to a certain monetary threshold (6,800 TL for 2024) are final and binding. Decisions above this amount may be appealed to the Consumer Court within fifteen days of notification. If neither party appeals, the decision becomes final and enforceable like a court judgment. If the provider refuses to comply voluntarily, you can take the Committee’s decision to the Execution Office and initiate compulsory enforcement proceedings.

5.3. Filing a Lawsuit in the Consumer Court

If your claim exceeds the Committee’s threshold or you are appealing a Committee decision, the case moves to the Consumer Court. The litigation process is more formal. You will need to file a detailed statement of claim (dava dilekçesi), pay the applicable court fees, and participate in a trial. The court will hold preliminary and evidentiary hearings, during which an expert witness may be appointed. Importantly, Article 73/A of Law No. 6502 introduced a mandatory mediation requirement for consumer lawsuits. Before you can file a lawsuit in the Consumer Court, you must apply to a certified mediator and attempt to resolve the dispute. This is a condition for the admissibility of the lawsuit. Mediation is a confidential process where a neutral third party helps you and the provider find a mutually acceptable solution. If an agreement is reached, it becomes binding. If not, the mediator issues a “final report of non-agreement,” which you must attach to your lawsuit petition. This procedure does not apply to applications to the Consumer Arbitration Committee.

CHAPTER SIX

6.1. The Formal Complaint Letter

Before resorting to legal bodies, it is both practical and legally prudent to send a clear, detailed complaint directly to the service provider. A well-structured letter can often resolve the matter without the need for arbitration or litigation. Your letter should:

Be in Turkish and addressed to the provider’s official registered address.

State the contract date, service description, and amount paid. Use concrete, factual language. Instead of “the work is terrible,” write “the agreed-upon task of painting the living room walls is incomplete because the wall behind the radiator remains unpainted, and the paint color used does not match the color code specified in our contract.” Explicitly reference your rights. A sentence such as, “Pursuant to Article 15 of the Consumer Protection Law No. 6502, I am exercising my right to demand that the defective service be properly re-performed,” adds significant weight.

Be clear and unambiguous. “I hereby demand that you complete the painting work, specifically the area behind the living room radiator, and repaint the walls with the correct color, by no later than 20 April 2025.” A clear, reasonable deadline is a legal requirement to put the debtor in default under the Turkish Code of Obligations. Ten to fifteen calendar days is generally considered reasonable for minor to moderate works.

“Should you fail to complete the work as requested within this period, I will proceed to have the work completed by a third party at your expense, and I will initiate legal proceedings before the Consumer Arbitration Committee for all associated costs, including legal fees and damages, without further notice.”

6.2. Negotiation: The Art of Assertive Diplomacy

If the provider responds to your letter but offers a compromise, you enter a negotiation phase. The goal is to secure a practical resolution that satisfies your core need without burning bridges unnecessarily.

Before entering any discussion, decide what you absolutely need. Is it the completion of the service, a specific refund amount, or a formal apology and a future discount? Knowing your red lines prevents you from accepting a deal you will later regret. Let the provider explain their side—perhaps they faced supply chain issues or a sick employee. While this does not excuse the breach, understanding their perspective can help you propose a creative solution. For example, if the provider is in financial difficulty and cannot offer an immediate refund, you might agree to accept the service re-performed at a later date, with an additional 10% discount as compensation for the delay. If you reach an agreement, immediately confirm it in writing. A simple email stating, “Thank you for our meeting today. As agreed, you will return to complete the work by [date], and in recognition of the inconvenience, you will apply a 15% discount to the final invoice. Please reply to confirm,” creates a binding agreement.

CHAPTER SEVEN

7.1. The Statute of Limitations (Zamanaşımı)

Your rights are not eternal. The law sets time limits within which you must take legal action. For defective services, the statute of limitations is not governed by Article 12 of Law No. 6502, which applies only to defective goods. Instead, service contracts in the consumer context are typically classified as contracts for work (eser sözleşmesi) under Articles 470 and following of the Turkish Code of Obligations. According to Article 147, paragraph 5 of the Turkish Code of Obligations, claims arising from defects in a work are subject to a statute of limitations of five years from the date the work was delivered or performed. If the defect was intentionally concealed by the contractor, this period may be extended under the general provisions on fraud. If the defect is hidden and could not reasonably be discovered at the time of performance, the five-year period starts from the date of discovery.

It is critically important to act well within this five-year window. Sending a formal notary notice interrupts the statute of limitations and causes a new five-year period to start running from the date of the notice.

7.2. The Right of Withdrawal for Off-Premises and Distance Contracts

If you contracted the service entirely online (e.g., a website design service) or at a place other than the provider’s permanent business premises (e.g., a home renovation contract signed at your kitchen table), you have an additional, powerful right: the right of withdrawal (cayma hakkı). Under Articles 9 and 17 of Law No. 6502, and the Regulation on Distance Contracts, you have the right to withdraw from a service contract within 14 days from its conclusion, without providing any reason and without paying any penalty. This right is absolute during the 14-day period. If you realize immediately after signing that the provider seems unreliable, or if you simply change your mind, you can send a withdrawal notice and you are entitled to a full refund of any payments made. Importantly, the service provider cannot begin performing the service during the 14-day withdrawal period without your explicit prior consent. If they commence performance without your consent and you subsequently withdraw, they cannot charge you for the work done.

7.3. Administrative Complaints and Sanctions

Beyond your private law remedies, you can also file a complaint with the Ministry of Trade’s General Directorate of Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance. The Ministry has the authority to investigate businesses that engage in unfair commercial practices or violate consumer legislation, and to impose substantial administrative fines. For instance, if a service provider systematically delivers incomplete services and uses aggressive or misleading tactics to avoid its obligations, an administrative complaint can trigger an official investigation. While this may not directly result in you getting your money back, it serves a public protective function and can lead to sanctions that pressure the provider to resolve your individual case.

CHAPTER EIGHT

To make these abstract legal principles concrete, let us examine how they apply in common real-life scenarios.

8.1. Home Renovation and Repair Services

The construction and renovation sector is notorious for incomplete and delayed work. Suppose you enter into a contract with a contractor to renovate your bathroom for a total price of 80,000 TL. The contract specifies the use of first-quality ceramic tiles, a specific model of shower enclosure, and a completion date of 1 June. By the deadline, the contractor has tiled the walls but not the floor, installed a different, cheaper shower enclosure, and has left the plumbing connections for the sink exposed and non-functional.

8.2. Vehicle Repair and Maintenance

You take your car to an authorized service center for a major periodic maintenance that includes changing the timing belt and oil. After picking up the car, you drive to another city and the engine seizes because the timing belt was not properly tensioned. The service center performed the work, but it was defective. You had the car towed back to them, but they deny responsibility. In this case, the service, while performed, was defective in quality. You can exercise your right to have the repair redone correctly at no cost (re-performance). Since the defective service caused further damage to your engine, you are also entitled to compensation for consequential damages under the general provisions of tort law and Article 15 of Law No. 6502, which states that the consumer is entitled to compensation for any loss caused by the defect. This includes the cost of towing, the additional repair of the engine, and potentially loss of use.

8.3. Educational Services

You enroll in a language course that promises 120 hours of instruction with a native speaker, small class sizes, and a course book. After a month, the native speaker is replaced by a non-native teacher who is clearly inexperienced, the class size has doubled, and the promised course book never materialized. This is a clear breach of the advertised qualities of the service. You may demand a proportional price reduction. If you have completed 30 hours out of 120, and the service quality is so poor that the hours you received are practically worthless, you could argue for rescission of the contract and a full refund, on the grounds that the service, as delivered, is completely different from what was promised.

CHAPTER NINE

9.1. Material Damages

Your claim is not limited to a refund or a price reduction. You can also seek compensation for all material losses you suffered as a direct and foreseeable consequence of the incomplete or defective service. This is a fundamental principle of the law of obligations. If the incomplete waterproofing of your roof led to water damage to your furniture and interior walls, the cost of repairing the furniture and repainting the interior is a recoverable material damage. You must present invoices, repair bills, and expert reports to prove these damages.

9.2. Non-Pecuniary Damages

In Turkish law, non-pecuniary damages (manevi tazminat) are awarded when an individual suffers pain, suffering, or a serious affront to their personal rights. While a purely economic loss does not justify non-pecuniary damages, there are circumstances where they might be awarded. For instance, if the service provider’s failure led to a highly stressful and humiliating situation—for example, a wedding photographer’s failure to appear, resulting in a permanent loss of irreplaceable memories—or if the provider acted with gross negligence or malice, a court may award a reasonable sum for the emotional distress caused. The amount is determined by the judge according to the specific circumstances of the case and the principle of equity (hakkaniyet). Note that Consumer Arbitration Committees do not have jurisdiction over non-pecuniary damages; such claims must be brought before the Consumer Court.

CONCLUSION

Receiving an incomplete service is a deeply frustrating experience that disrupts your life and wastes your hard-earned money. Yet, as this guide has demonstrated, you are not a passive victim. Turkish consumer law, anchored by Law No. 6502 and supported by a dedicated dispute resolution infrastructure, places powerful tools at your disposal. You have the right to demand re-performance, a discount, a replacement, or full rescission. You also possess the additional general-law weapon of having the work done by another professional at the defaulting provider’s expense. The path to a successful resolution is sequential: identify and document the defect, communicate your chosen remedy in a clear and formal manner, and if the provider remains unresponsive, escalate your claim to the Consumer Arbitration Committee or the Consumer Court. The system is designed to be accessible, and the legal framework is unambiguously on your side. The statute of limitations is a generous five years for most service contracts, but early action is always the wisest course. By understanding and exercising your statutory rights, you not only resolve your own problem but also contribute to a marketplace where quality and accountability are the norm. Do not hesitate; your rights are the shield and sword that the law has placed firmly in your hands.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: What is the first thing I should do if I realize my service is incomplete?
A: Document the defect immediately with dated photographs and detailed notes. Then, send a formal written notice (email or notary letter) to the service provider, describing the defect and clearly stating the remedy you demand under Article 15 of Law No. 6502.

Q: Do I have to give the service provider a chance to fix the problem?
A: For the remedy of re-performance, you are effectively giving them that chance by demanding it. For a price reduction or rescission, no prior opportunity is legally mandated, though it is good practice. If you intend to use the third-party performance remedy under the Code of Obligations, you must set a reasonable additional deadline for the provider to perform before hiring someone else.

Q: What is the deadline for filing a complaint about an incomplete service?
A: For most consumer service contracts, you have a statute of limitations of five years from the date the service was performed, or from the date you discovered the hidden defect.

Q: Where do I file a complaint if the provider ignores me?
A: You can apply online via e-Government (e-Devlet) to the Consumer Arbitration Committee in your district. If the value of your claim exceeds the annual threshold (104,000 TL for 2024), you must first undergo mandatory mediation and then file a lawsuit in the Consumer Court.

Q: Can I claim compensation for the stress and inconvenience caused by the incomplete service?
A: You can claim non-pecuniary damages if you can prove that the provider’s actions caused severe emotional distress or violated your personal rights. This claim must be brought before the Consumer Court, as Arbitration Committees lack jurisdiction over non-pecuniary damages. For material losses (e.g., damaged property), you can and should claim compensation alongside your primary remedy in either forum.