What a property manager in Azerbaijan should and should not do

If you own an apartment in Baku and live abroad, management offers can look alike on paper; the differences show up in three questions: what work will actually be done, what the manager may sign in your name and where the money goes. The short answer: a manager handles the groundwork under a written scope, but anything done in your name with third parties needs your authority, and the power of attorney must be notarised if the transaction itself requires that form¹. Where the tenant is an individual not registered for tax, tax on the rent stays with you or a tax agent you appoint².

Groundwork: a written scope and regular reports

A written scope makes offers comparable. This is our checklist of what each offer should state in writing, not a description of market practice:

• Handover and return: photos, an inventory and meter readings.
• How often inspections take place, how the tenant is notified beforehand, and the form of the report.
• Tracking bills and building charges, and when you are told about arrears.
• Repairs, and the spending limit that may not be exceeded without your approval.
• The fee, what it covers and the terms for ending the agreement.

The Civil Code’s rules on the mandate contract (tapşırıq müqaviləsi) make a useful yardstick. The agent carries out the work entrusted to them without guaranteeing a specific result¹, reports on progress whenever asked and once the work is done¹, and hands over everything obtained in carrying it out¹; remuneration is due only if stipulated or so accepted¹, and either party may cancel at any time, with rules on compensation where the contract is paid¹. Whether your management agreement is a mandate contract is for a licensed lawyer in Azerbaijan to say.

Acting in your name: when is a power of attorney needed?

What it does and when it must be notarised

The Civil Code defines a power of attorney as the authority one person gives another to represent them before third parties¹, and a transaction the representative concludes in your name within that authority creates your own rights and obligations directly¹. A power of attorney without clear limits can therefore bind you to contracts you have not seen. The same Code provides that a power of attorney for transactions that require notarial form must itself be notarised¹. Whether your lease requires that form is discussed in Letting your Baku apartment from abroad; for your own case, ask a notary or lawyer.

ASAN service centres certify powers of attorney under the service “Certification of other powers of attorney”, and the grantor must attend in person or through a representative acting under a notarised power of attorney³.

If you are abroad

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that consuls at Azerbaijan’s embassies and consulates certify transactions and powers of attorney, except contracts to alienate or mortgage immovable property located in Azerbaijan⁴; ask the mission nearest to you whether it can serve you. If you have the power of attorney notarised in your country of residence, the Ministry explains that a document issued in one country can be used in another once formalised by an apostille or consular legalisation⁵. Ask the notary in Baku who will rely on the power of attorney which of the two is required, and about translation.

Limits and ending a power of attorney

• No dealing with themselves in your name: a representative may not conclude transactions in your name with themselves personally; nor, except in limited cases including commercial representation, with another person they also represent¹.
• Exceeding authority: the other party may claim performance or compensation from the representative personally, unless you later approve the transaction¹.
• Term: if no term is stated, a power of attorney remains valid for one year from the date it was issued, and one that does not state its date of issue is void¹.
• Revocation: you may revoke it at any time, and any agreement waiving that right is void¹. If you revoke it, tell anyone who may rely on it.

Money: rent, building charges and bills

Where does the rent go?

In ALVERA GLOBAL’s own model, which describes how we work and is not a legal requirement or market practice, the tenant pays rent directly into the owner’s own account, and ALVERA GLOBAL does not receive or hold rent or any other client money; we check that payments have arrived, reconcile them and report to you. Whichever manager you choose, ask for the lease to name the account the rent is paid into. The tenant’s side of the same lease, from checking the landlord to the deposit and registration, is covered in our guide to renting a home in Baku as a newcomer.

Building charges and utilities

Under the Housing Code, housing and utility charges must be paid on time and in full, and the owner’s obligation begins when ownership arises⁶. What the owner pays in an apartment building covers managing the building, maintaining its common parts and carrying out current and major repairs, plus cold and hot water, sewerage, electricity, gas and heating⁶. Unless the building’s management contract sets another date, each month’s charges are paid by the 15th of the following month, on payment documents presented by the 5th⁶.

Under the lease, the Civil Code also makes the landlord responsible for the home being fit for use for the whole term of the lease¹. The lease can make the tenant pay the consumption bills, but the obligations stay with you, so the manager should check every month that they have been paid.

Tax stays with you

According to the State Tax Service’s guidance (2026 edition), where the tenant is an individual not registered for tax, the tax falls to the landlord or a tax agent the landlord appoints². Do not assume the manager handles this: agree in writing who files. The rate, the filing and the position of an owner living abroad are covered in Letting your Baku apartment from abroad. In ALVERA GLOBAL’s model, tax filing is coordinated with a licensed tax adviser, and you pay any tax to the state directly.

Should, should not and ask in writing

This table is an editorial checklist, not a legal standard; its legal sources are cited in the sections above.

When this may not suit you

• You want short-term or daily letting: this is outside ALVERA GLOBAL’s current scope and is not covered by this guide.
• The apartment is not yet registered in your name, or ownership is disputed: sort that out first; see Can foreigners buy property in Azerbaijan?.
• You need someone to sign in your name and have no power of attorney yet: start with a notary or licensed lawyer who can set its form and limits.
• You are looking for guaranteed income: no one can promise rental income or occupancy.

Frequently asked questions