The analysis revealed that the average yearly rent in 2005 was YTL 2,943, increasing 24 percent in 2006 to YTL 3,651.

The rise in rent broke a record in the southeastern city of Şırnak with a 107 percent increase. Other sharp spikes in rent included a 78 percent rise in Iğdır, 77 percent in Siirt, 71 percent in Adıyaman, 66 percent in Erzurum, 64 percent in Erzincan, 63 percent in Gaziantep, 60 percent in Bayburt, 56 percent in Van, 55 percent in Muş, 54 percent in Elazığ and 53 percent in Nevşehir.

Rent in Istanbul increased by an average of 29 percent. Among other major cities, the rent in Ankara increased by 19 percent, İzmir, 20 percent, Bursa, 28 percent, and Antalya, 27 percent. In most cities rent rose by an average of 15 percent.

However, rental prices decreased in Düzce and Kars, with a 38 percent drop in the former and an 11 percent drop in the latter.

The average rise in rent remained below 10 percent in only a few cities: 3 percent in Ağrı, 6 percent in Zonguldak, 6 percent in Kastamonu, 8 percent in Çorum and 8 percent in Amasya.

A 29 percent rise in total rental income was observed in 2006. While it was YTL 3.2 billion in 2005, it rose to YTL 4.1 billion in 2006. The number of declared rented properties increased in Ağrı by 136 percent, in Düzce by 197 percent and in Mardin by 69 percent. On the other hand, in 16 cities including Istanbul, the declared number of rented properties declined.

The number of declared rented properties decreased in Şırnak by 39 percent in accordance with the sudden rise in rent prices. Siirt followed Şırnak with 15 percent, Iğdır with 14 percent, Nevşehir and Bayburt with 13 percent and Van with 12 percent, whereas the drop in Istanbul was only 3 percent.

The analysis in question also revealed another piece of interesting information: In Turkey, YTL 57 of every YTL 100 for rent is paid in Istanbul. Eighty-three percent of all rent was paid in five cities: Istanbul with 57 percent, Ankara 12 percent, İzmir 8 percent and 3 percent in Bursa and in Antalya. The share of other cities in rental income was 1 percent.

The analysis determined the cities with a higher than 50 percent rise in rent were Ağrı with 109 percent, Rize 92 percent, Burdur 83 percent, Isparta 70 percent, Erzincan 69 percent, Bolu 64 percent, Amasya 63 percent, Erzurum 63 percent, Kütahya 63 percent, Kırşehir 61 percent, Adıyaman 60 percent, Kahramanmaraş 59 percent, Sakarya 58 percent, Ardahan 58 percent, Mardin 56 percent, Giresun 56 percent, Çorum 55 percent, Karaman 53 percent, Tekirdağ 52 percent and Kayseri 52 percent.

And the cities where the increase was below 20 percent are Tunceli at 19 percent, Bingöl 15 percent, Sinop 14 percent, Kastamonu 13 percent, Kars 10 percent and Düzce, 2 percent.

Baş said that they would forward the results of the analysis to the tax administration. Baş said they would question landowners whose names no longer appeared in rental income declaration documents and the owners of properties whose rental income declined. He further noted that those whose rental income remained below average would have to explain the situation to finance officials. "Our only aim here is to ensure that everyone fulfills their obligations, and our work will continue until that is the case," Baş added.