A neighbor’s permission, a submeter or the verbal approval of the apartment management does not make every use of electricity lawful. Where the connection is made, on which meter the consumption is measured, the consent of the owner of the energy, and the subscription and common-area rules are assessed together. Charging a vehicle at home, for its part, is not unauthorized use merely because an electric vehicle is present.
The source check date of this guide is October 9, 2026. The aim is to explain the different forms of use in residential life without confusing them under the same “unauthorized electricity” heading.
Is taking electricity from a neighbor a crime?
This question has no one-word answer. Consumption from a neighbor’s line without the neighbor’s knowledge, use with the neighbor’s permission but outside the subscription arrangement, and a connection that prevents measurement are separate events.
The Electricity Market Consumer Services Regulation (EPTHY), Article 48/1-c, except for the exception in Article 6/6, treats the supply of energy to third parties from one’s own installation after the metering point as irregular use. If there is a line outside the meter or interference with measurement, Article 42 additionally comes into play. [1]
From the perspective of criminal law, the conditions of consent and of preventing measurement in Article 163/3 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) are investigated. The neighbor’s consent and the consent of the owner of the energy are not always the same. The fact that total consumption passes through one meter may not settle all the debates on how the consumption of a separate user is determined. In the academic literature, there are views and case-law debates on the interpretation of this boundary. [2][4, pp. 2071–2073]
For this reason, an approach such as “I pay my neighbor, so there will be no problem” is not a safe legal conclusion. At the other extreme, treating every sharing after the meter as automatically a crime also skips the elements in the law. The connection and the contractual arrangement must be examined concretely.
What does a submeter solve, and what does it not solve?
A submeter (süzme sayaç) can serve to monitor certain consumption after the main meter. It can make cost sharing between the parties more visible; however, by itself it does not establish an independent subscription with the distribution company or legitimize every act of supplying energy to a third person.
For example, in multiple areas of use fed by a single main meter, it is investigated whether the connection and the contract were set up accordingly. The difference between the total on the main meter and the sum of the submeters must also be explained by reasons such as technical loss, common consumption or a recording error. An automatic accusation of theft should not be made merely because a difference is found.
| Arrangement | Question in terms of measurement | Question in legal terms |
|---|---|---|
| Independent subscription and meter | Is the consumption of the relevant area measured correctly? | Do the user and the contract match? |
| Main meter + submeter | Are sub-consumption and common consumption separated? | Is this arrangement of use in line with the legislation and the contract? |
| Use from a neighbor’s installation | Through which metering point does the energy pass? | Have consent, third-party and subscription conditions been met? |
| Allegation of a separate connection outside the meter | On which line is the unmeasured consumption? | Have the conditions of EPTHY and TCK been fulfilled? |
The technical inspection must be carried out by safe and authorized persons. This legal assessment does not instruct the user to make or change the connection with his or her own hands.
Can common-area electricity be used for personal needs?
Allocating the electricity taken for the elevator, lighting, booster pump or other common purposes to one person’s private use can create expense and authority problems within the apartment building. The existence of a common meter does not by itself justify distributing the cost of personal consumption to all neighbors.
The management plan, the decision of the condominium owners’ assembly, the purpose of use, the subscription group and the measurement arrangement are examined together. The provisions of the Condominium Ownership Law (Kat Mülkiyeti Kanunu) on common expenses, the duties of the manager and changes to common areas are taken into account. [5, Arts. 19–20, 35, 42]
The first step of an objecting owner is to ask for an explanation of through which line the consumption takes place and how it is allocated. The management decision, the invoice, the consumption report and the distribution of expenses are compared. A person’s intervening in the common installation on the basis of his or her own opinion can create new disputes.
Is a license required for electric vehicle charging at home?
According to the statement of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK), for the relevant charging units that a user installs at home for his or her own needs, or at a workplace without engaging in commercial activity, there is no obligation to connect to a charging network or to hold a license or certificate. This statement rests on the distinction between commercial charging services and personal use. [3, Question 29]
That no license is required does not mean that the technical and ownership conditions disappear. Connection capacity, the installation, the project, fire precautions and the effect on common areas are assessed separately. From which subscription and with which measurement arrangement the electricity will be taken must be determined.
The presence of a vehicle in a residence does not automatically turn that place of use into a commercial charging station. On the other hand, providing charging services to outsiders for a fee may bring into play a separate license/certificate and service regime. The actual use and the service model are decisive. [3]
What decision is required in an apartment building car park?
The statement of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change (Çevre, Şehircilik ve İklim Değişikliği Bakanlığı) on the installation of charging units takes as its basis, within the framework of Article 42 of the Condominium Ownership Law, a majority in number and in land shares for units that do not constitute a construction activity, do not form an enclosed space and have had the necessary electrical and fire precautions taken. The statement is not an unlimited permission for all construction and installation changes. [6]
For a car park that is not a common area but is an accessory of an independent unit, the conditions that the connection be made without changing the existing installation and that the other independent units and the common areas not be affected are stated separately. Practice outside these conditions is not automatically included in the same facility. Stations that provide a commercial service to outsiders are also excluded from the scope of the statement. [6]
This document is an implementation statement of the institution; it does not replace the law. In a specific project, the status of the area in the title deed and the management plan, the works to be carried out, the cable route and the rights of the other owners must be examined. The problem of actually allocating a section of a shared car park to a person may also arise separately from the installation of the device.
How should the charging cost be shared?
It must be possible to separate charging consumption from common lighting consumption. The measurement and payment method, whether the device is a joint investment or a personal device, and how maintenance and losses will be shared should be clearly stated in the decision.
As an example, three separate items can be considered: the cost of the device and installation, the price of the electricity consumed, and the common maintenance and operating cost. Distributing these to everyone at the same ratio is not correct in every case. The actual user, the manner of benefit, the management plan and the provisions of the law are assessed. [5]
An application record of the charging device may be useful; however, how it is linked to the distribution measurement and the accuracy of the records also matter. If the management merely sets an estimated monthly amount, an accounting dispute may arise later. When personal data are disclosed, unnecessary driving or identity information should not be shared on the common notice board.
If a finding is made, which documents should be collected?
- The subscription contract, consumer group and installation number.
- Technical records of the main meter and, if any, the sub-measurement arrangement.
- The decision of the condominium owners’ assembly and the relevant provisions of the management plan.
- The installation project, conformity and service documents.
- Charging consumption records and cost distribution tables.
- Report, photographs, video and account statements.
- Real documents showing the persons who use the connection and their periods.
The purpose of the objection is first to correct the wrong characterization. Treating personal charging like a commercial station, loading the consumption of different users onto one person, or distributing common consumption incorrectly are different objections. The calculation of power and daily hours should also be audited according to the real legal category of the use. [1, Arts. 44–46]
Frequently asked questions
If my neighbor gave permission, can I take energy from his or her line?
The neighbor’s consent alone does not settle the rules on subscription and on supplying energy to a third person. The connection and the contractual conditions must be examined.
If a submeter is installed, is a separate subscription no longer needed?
A submeter does not by itself take the place of an independent subscription. The arrangement of use permitted by the legislation and the connection conditions are determined separately.
Is charging a vehicle at home unauthorized electricity use?
Charging a vehicle alone is not counted as unauthorized use. If there is a violation of measurement, subscription, connection and technical conditions, that specific act is examined.
Can the manager alone install a charging device in a common area?
The manager’s authority, the assembly decision, the management plan and the nature of the work must be assessed. A procedure that requires an assembly decision is not considered completed merely by the manager’s verbal approval.
Is a four-fifths approval always required for a charging device?
Practice in a shared car park under the conditions announced by the Ministry is handled on the basis of a majority in number and land shares. If there is a construction change or interference with other rights, the project’s own conditions are reassessed. [6]
Conclusion: Measurement, permission and cost sharing must be set up together
In homes and apartment buildings, the arrangement that prevents disputes clearly shows where the electricity comes from, who uses it and who pays for it. The right subscription matters as much as the right meter, and the right cost sharing as much as the right management decision. When these elements are documented from the start, neighborly relations and technical safety are better protected.
For the details of irregular use, you can look at the subscription guide; for the responsible person, the subscriber–tenant–owner guide; and for the general framework, the main guide.
Sources and legal bases
- Electricity Market Consumer Services Regulation (Elektrik Piyasası Tüketici Hizmetleri Yönetmeliği). EPDK / Legislation Information System (Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi). May 30, 2018 / 30436; in particular Articles 42–49 and 52, including the amendments of January 14, 2025 / 32782.
- Turkish Penal Code No. 5237 (5237 sayılı Türk Ceza Kanunu). Legislation Information System / Ministry of Justice (Adalet Bakanlığı). Articles 2, 20–21, 64, 163/3, 168/5, 203.
- Charging Network Operator License Roadmap and Frequently Asked Questions (Şarj Ağı İşletmeci Lisansı Yol Haritası ve Sıkça Sorulan Sorular). EPDK. In particular Questions 1, 29, 33–34; the distinction between personal use and commercial charging.
- Barış Işık, The Offense of Benefiting Without Consideration (Karşılıksız Yararlanma Suçu). Selçuk University Faculty of Law Journal (Selçuk Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi) / DergiPark. 2021, 29(3), pp. 2051–2086; DOI: 10.15337/suhfd.936246; relevant pp. 2071–2073. Full text.
- Condominium Ownership Law No. 634 (634 sayılı Kat Mülkiyeti Kanunu). Ministry of Justice. Articles 19–20, 35, 42; common areas, expenses and decisions.
- Statement on the Installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Units in Housing Complexes and Apartment Buildings (Site ve Apartmanlarda Elektrikli Araç Şarj Ünitesi Kurulumu açıklaması). Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. Letter No. E-17576483-045.01-9936676; common car park units that involve no construction activity, the distinction between accessories and commercial use. Full text.