Whether enforcement proceedings move forward often depends on the answers to three questions: Where does the debtor live? Where do they work? Is there a vehicle registered in their name? The UYAP Lawyer Portal offers queries that let you obtain these answers from official records. That is why MERNİS address, SGK and EGM queries are among the most frequent tasks in enforcement offices.
The catch is that every query is run per file, and interpreting the results and turning them into the next step takes time. This article explains what each of the three queries is for, the framework in which they can be run and how you can speed up the process.
Legal framework: who can run queries, and in which files?
Debtor queries through UYAP are tied to the purpose of the enforcement proceedings. The regulation on querying assets, rights and receivables through the UYAP information system provides that queries can be run by lawyers registered in the relevant enforcement file as counsel for the creditor. In other words, a query is run for the debtor of a file in which you act as counsel, and through that file.
Query results (address, employer, vehicle information) are personal data. Under Turkey’s data protection law (KVKK), the office is responsible for using this information only for the purpose of the proceedings, not sharing it with unauthorised persons and storing it securely.
MERNİS address query: the key to service
The MERNİS query shows the debtor’s registered residential address in the national address registration system. This has great practical value: Article 21(2) of the Turkish Notification Law allows service at the address recorded in the address registration system. When service at the known address fails, querying the MERNİS address after the returned notice and serving at that address is a common path in enforcement practice.
Running the MERNİS query saves time especially when:
- only an old or incomplete address is available when the proceedings are opened,
- a notice has come back marked “unknown at this address” or “moved”,
- a file that has been inactive for a long time is being revived.
SGK query: employer and employment status
The SGK query provides information from the debtor’s social security records, such as whether they have an active insurance record and, if so, which employer they work for. This information is a precondition for sending a salary garnishment order to the employer. Whether the debtor is retired or self-employed also shapes the choice of the next step.
SGK records change over time. When a debtor changes jobs, an order sent to the old employer produces no result. The query therefore needs to be repeated in files where salary deductions have stopped or where the employer has replied that the debtor no longer works there. Bar association reports have also noted that SGK queries sometimes return integration-related errors; it is important not to treat a query without a result as done, and to try again later.
EGM query: vehicle records
The EGM query shows the vehicles registered in the debtor’s name and any annotations on those records. Based on the result, a garnishment annotation on the vehicle can be requested; whether the vehicle already carries other garnishments or pledges is also an important indicator for assessing the chance of collection.
Vehicle information changes too. The debtor may sell a vehicle or buy a new one, so the EGM query should be repeated at reasonable intervals throughout the proceedings.
What slows the query process down
- Working file by file: For each query you have to open the file, start the query and wait for the result.
- Recording the result: If the result shown on screen is not written down, the same query is repeated shortly afterwards.
- Interpretation and decision: Each time, someone has to decide what the result means and which request to prepare.
- Information not shared within the team: If the person running the query and the person talking to the debtor on the phone are different, the new address or employer never makes it into the conversation.
Ways to speed up the process
Define a standard “initial query package”
For newly opened files, or files newly handed over to the office, make it standard practice to run the MERNİS, SGK and EGM queries together. This gives you the debtor’s overall picture at the start, and the file gets on the right track early.
Re-run queries based on triggers
Instead of repeating every query in every file all the time, use event-based rules: MERNİS when a notice comes back, SGK when salary deductions stop, EGM after a certain period. This reduces both time spent and unnecessary workload.
Record results in a standard format
Save each query result with its date, source and a summary, linked to the file. The answer to “When was the last SGK query run, and what did it show?” should be visible at a glance.
Link the result to the task list
If follow-up steps such as service at a new address, a salary garnishment order when an employer is found or a garnishment annotation request when a vehicle is found land automatically on the task list, the time between query and request gets shorter.
Get the information to the person making the call
The team that contacts debtors should be able to see the current address and employer during the call. This makes it easier to confirm that they have reached the right person and keeps the conversation focused on results.
Frequently asked questions
Can I run a debtor query in a file where I am not counsel?
No. Queries in UYAP are run by lawyers registered in the relevant enforcement file as counsel for the creditor, and through that file. Queries cannot be run until the power of attorney has been registered in the file.
How often should I repeat the queries?
There is no fixed rule. For most offices, tying queries to specific events (a returned notice, salary deductions stopping, a long period of inactivity) is more efficient than repeating them on a calendar. Even so, a general check at reasonable intervals is useful for inactive files.
Can I share query results with the client?
Query results are personal data obtained for the purpose of the proceedings. When reporting to the client, share only the information needed to run the proceedings, in a measured way, and observe your obligations under the data protection law (KVKK).
How Asistan34 makes this easier
Asistan34’s UYAP integration takes debtor queries out of the screen-by-screen routine and connects them to the office workflow:
- UYAP MERNİS query: queries the MERNİS address of the debtor in a file where you are a party.
- UYAP SGK query: queries the debtor’s active SGK information.
- UYAP EGM query: runs the EGM vehicle query for the debtor.
If you use Asistan34 CRM, the results are added automatically to the debtor’s file and your agents see them during calls. If you do not use the CRM, you can receive the results as an Excel list and PDF documents and use them in your own workflow. Operations are carried out with the lawyer’s own UYAP e-signature.
Under the registered Asistan34® trademark, we have been working with law offices for more than 15 years. We explain how query results can be used on the call center side in our article on speeding up debtor outreach. To discuss a setup that suits your office, contact us.