University sued by property owner over rent increase: 'It is not a commercial enterprise'

Property owner Mehmet Şerif Kanık demanded a 15-fold rent increase for Kocaeli Health and Technology University's campus in Başiskele, and after university officials stated that it was impossible to accept this demand, Kanık filed a lawsuit.

In a statement made by the property owner regarding the issue, it was said, "Benchmark studies were conducted by experts and the resulting rental value was conveyed to the other party. The process is still ongoing before the relevant courts, and out of respect for the judicial process, no detailed assessment is being made on the subject. We are acting with awareness of the importance of educational activities and students, and it is our hope that the process will be concluded within the framework of common sense and law."

Kocaeli Health and Technology University Rector Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Elmas, who made new assessments on the subject, reacted to the requested increase rate. Providing explanations regarding the process, Rector Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Elmas used the following expressions:

"Five years ago, the rental was set according to an expert appraisal. During this period, official rent increases were applied every year. What has happened now that a 15-fold rent increase is being demanded after five years? It is clear what happened: the investment our university made by spending 5 million dollars and the know-how."

"KOSTÜ is not a commercial enterprise"

Emphasizing that the appraisal process should be based on objective and fair data, Rector Elmas continued his statement as follows:

"One must provide objective and fair information to the appraisal. There is a difference between saying 'determine the rent for an institution that conducts commercial activities here and educates 6 thousand students' and saying 'make an appraisal by taking into account that it has been empty for six years, it is very difficult for an institution other than a university to rent it, it has a school occupancy permit, a 21-year lease contract, and the renovations the tenant made by spending 5 million dollars.' The two produce different results. We also had an appraisal done. It is quite realistic. Ultimately, it is a situation that has been referred to the judiciary. Justice will decide on the most correct outcome.

I repeat, KOSTÜ is not a commercial enterprise. It came to Kocaeli with the instructions and favor of our President. It is managed with a foundation mentality. Together with our Board of Trustees Chairman Dr. Talip Emiroğlu, we are trying to be worthy of the trust of our state officials by providing better education and educating more scholarship students. Today, we are educating 1,200 students on full scholarships. Our goal is to increase this number every year. We will defend the right of young people to study to the end, and we will not give opportunities to merchant-like approaches."