Important decision from the BRSA on housing loans

Individual credit cards with partially or fully unpaid statement balances and personal loans with payments overdue by more than 30 days will be restructured with a maximum maturity of 48 months. A 3-month period has been granted for debt restructuring applications.

The BRSA issued a statement regarding a package of coordinated regulations aimed at ensuring financial stability and protecting financial consumers. 

Individual credit cards with partially or fully unpaid statement balances and personal loans with payments overdue by more than 30 days will be restructured with a maximum maturity of 48 months.

For consumers whose total credit card limits across all banks exceed 400,000 TL, these limits will be reduced by rates ranging from 50% to 80%. While reducing card limits, banks will take into account the highest usage rate from the last 12 months. 

Banks will align credit card limits with consumers' monthly and annual incomes by January 1, 2027. 

The distinction between first-hand and second-hand housing in mortgage loans has been removed. Homes with a C energy class, which is the minimum requirement for the energy class of buildings constructed after 2010, have also been included in the scope of housing eligible for advantageous loan rates. 

FULL TEXT OF THE DECISION

The details provided in the information released by the BRSA are as follows;

In the Board's meeting dated 29.01.2026, following the review of the letter dated 28.01.2026 and numbered E-24049440-045.01-

179866 and its annexes;

1- Pursuant to Article 93 of the Banking Law No. 5411, Article 14 of the Bank Cards

and Credit Cards Law No. 5464, and the Regulation on Bank Cards and Credit Cards;

APPLICATION REQUIRED WITHIN 3 MONTHS

A) As of the date of this Decision; for individual credit cards where the statement balance has not been paid in full or in part by the due date, provided that the cardholders request it within 3 months from the date of the Decision, the debt balances at the time of restructuring (including pending future transactions) may be restructured for a period limited to a maximum of forty-eight months,

B) The monthly installment amount for the restructuring shall be added to the minimum payment amount for the relevant month,

C) The interest rate to be applied to the restructured debt shall be the reference interest rate determined by the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye for credit card transactions.

C) Until fifty percent of the credit card restructuring debt is paid, the limit of the credit cards allocated to the cardholder by the relevant Bank shall not be increased,

Ç) In the event that the restructuring amount exceeds the credit card limit, the portion of the restructuring amount exceeding the card limit shall not be considered as a limit overrun,

WHAT IS THE DURATION FOR CREDIT CARD DEBT RESTRUCTURING? 

2- In accordance with the fourth paragraph of Article 12 of the Regulation on Credit Operations of Banks and the fifth paragraph of Article 11/A of the Regulation on the Establishment and Operating Principles of Financial Leasing, Factoring, and Financing Companies;

- For personal loans (including overdraft accounts) that were utilized before the date of this Decision and for which principal and/or interest payments are overdue by more than thirty days as of the date of the Decision, provided that the debtor requests it within 3 months from the date of the decision, the debt balances at the date of restructuring may be restructured for a maximum of forty-eight months without the extension of additional credit.