Formal notice (warning letter)

Under Turkish law, a formal notice (ihtarname) is a written communication by which one party conveys a demand, warning or declaration to the other. It is usually served through a notary public, which provides official proof of both its content and the date of service.

In practice it is most often used to put a debtor in default, to warn a tenant about unpaid rent, or to grant a final period for performance before terminating a contract. In many situations, serving such a notice is a precondition for charging default interest or for later court action, such as an eviction claim.

Statutes sometimes require the notice to follow a specific form or to grant a minimum period; failure to meet these conditions can render it ineffective. A well-drafted notice therefore clearly states the demand, its legal basis and the time allowed.