Chapter 8 of 11
Moving and storage costs: who pays and how to budget
In urban renewal most households move twice, and keeping belongings somewhere in between has a cost of its own. This chapter explains who bears these costs and how to build a budget in plain terms.
Last updated: 2 November 2026
In brief
- Moving aid appears in the Law only in the emergency cases of article 6/A; it is not among the supports listed for an ordinary evacuation by agreement.
- No provision covers the cost of storing belongings, so it usually stays with the household.
- Think of the budget in three parts: two moves, the storage period and a margin for delay.
- Sorting, dismantling furniture and keeping dates flexible are the most practical ways to lower costs.
Who pays for moving and storage?
In most cases the household does. In Law No. 6306, moving aid (taşınma yardımı) appears only in article 6/A, which covers emergency action taken ex officio for buildings about to collapse or already damaged; owners, tenants and residents holding limited real rights may be given it. The list in article 5, which deals with evacuation by agreement, names temporary housing, rent aid and construction aid, but not moving aid.
The text contains no reimbursement for storage either. If you receive a share of rent aid or a lump sum, you decide which cost it goes towards. Amounts such as rent paid by a contractor, and for how long, depend on the contract, so read it to see whether it has a separate clause for moving or storage.
How do you budget two moves and the storage period?
The cost of urban renewal is not a single move: belongings go out once when you leave the old home and again when you enter the new flat. On top of that, if you use a storage room in between, its rent is added. Building the budget around these three parts from the start reduces surprises later.
Work out the storage period from the delivery date in the contract plus a safety margin; the Law sets no construction period. If the project runs late you may need funds for an extra month or several.
- Move out: from the old home to the temporary home and the storage room
- Move back: from the temporary home and the storage room to the new flat
- Storage fee: the months between now and the delivery date, plus the margin
- Packing materials, and an allowance for dismantling and reassembly
- Optional insurance and a possible extra month for delay
What can you do to lower the costs?
The most effective step is to shrink the volume. The less you move and store, the smaller both the truck load and the room. The weeks before moving are a good time to donate, sell or dispose of what you will not use in the new flat.
If you dismantle sectional furniture yourself, it takes less space in the vehicle and the risk of damage falls. Keeping boxes to a similar size makes stacking easier. Staying flexible on the moving date also lets you compare several quotes on equal terms, and deciding well before the deadline keeps that flexibility.
If you separate what goes to the temporary home from what goes into storage in advance, you can plan a single loading round. Taking everything home first and then moving part of it again means a second trip.
What should you ask a mover and a storage provider?
Comparing offers on the figure alone is misleading, because what the same fee covers can differ between companies. Ask in writing and keep the answers, so a disagreement later is easier to settle.
- Mover: Is the offer based on a survey, is dismantling and reassembly included, are there extras such as stairs or a lift?
- Mover: How is responsibility handled if items are damaged, and is insurance optional?
- Storage: What does the monthly fee include, and are pickup and delivery written separately?
- Storage: Do conditions change if the term is extended, and when can I visit the room?
- Both: What happens if the date changes or the booking is cancelled?
Where do Atasoy Nakliyat and Atasoy Depo fit in?
Atasoy Nakliyat (atasoynakliyat.com), our sister company, provides home moving; see its website for a quote. Atasoy Depo offers locked rooms in Sancaktepe where your belongings can wait, and handles door-to-door pickup and delivery within İstanbul, with a free survey to work out the volume needed.
This chapter is general information and not legal or financial advice. To learn which support applies to your situation, ask the Kentsel Dönüşüm Başkanlığı (the Ministry's Urban Transformation Directorate), your municipality (İdare) or a lawyer.
A roadmap for your situation
Four questions show which step you are at, what to prepare and your storage plan.
Need somewhere for your belongings?
See the sizes and prices of the locked rooms, or ask for a free survey.
Frequently asked questions
Does the state pay for the move?
Moving aid is not among the supports listed for an ordinary evacuation by agreement; the Law mentions it only as something that may be given in the emergency cases of article 6/A. Ask the Başkanlık or your municipality about your own case.
Why should I budget two moves together?
Because belongings go first to a temporary home or storage and then to the new flat once construction is done. If you count only the first move, the second turns up as an unplanned cost.
What if my storage period runs longer?
If the delivery date in the contract slips, talk to your storage provider about the extension terms. Leaving a safety margin at the start makes that conversation easier.
What is the first step to bring costs down?
Sort your belongings. Fewer items mean a smaller vehicle load and a smaller room, which affects the moving and storage lines together.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For your own case, ask the Urban Transformation Directorate, your municipality or a lawyer.