When looking for an apartment to rent in Germany, most likely the landlord or the management company will request you to provide several documents, to understand who you are and to prove that you are a decent tenant that they should pick. In big cities like Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt and Hamburg, there is a lot of competition on the rental market and apartments are hard to come by. So it's worth getting your documents together early and having them ready. If you're currently hunting for apartment listings, check out our list of accommodation websites.

Documents required for your apartment application

• Work contract - It is an indicator of your financial stability in Germany (especially if you’re no longer on probation period), indicates your income, your industry and how easy or difficult it is to find another job in that sector. However, if you don’t have a work contract yet, it doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find a flat.

• Schufa - Your credit score, demonstrates whether you have a questionable history of financial behavior, or you pay everything on time. Landlords want to see a good Schufa, a score of over 95% is very good. You can also get it for free (4 weeks waiting time) or download your Schufa online for 29,95 €.

• Proof of income - Payslips from the last 3 months, or other income that you may have. 

• Bank statements, proving you have enough money to pay rent. This is only needed in case you do not have a regular income.

• A letter from your previous landlord indicating you paid your rent on time. It’s called “Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung”.

• Special tip: A short cover letter introducing yourself and your fellow tenants can leave a positive impression and adds a personal touch to your application.

You won’t be asked to present all of the documents all of the time, but keep in mind that it could be a requirement, and it’s always better to be prepared. It also makes a good impression if you have these documents ready. It shows that you’re organized and responsible.

These requirements may sound weird to an expat, perhaps it' s different in your country. Many rental contracts in Germany are for years on, and mostly in favor of the tenant (it is difficult for a landlord to terminate a contract, or to take a tenant out of the apartment). In addition, there is a very high demand in certain cities like Munich and Berlin. This makes the landlords very picky, and they don’t want to risk renting the apartment to an untrustworthy tenant. For this reason, there is quite a lot of paperwork that needs to be collected and submitted. Sometimes you won’t be the only one applying for the apartment, so keep searching until you get a contract.  

Good luck!

Alternative solution: Temporary housing

Have you been searching for a while, but can't find anything? Get a temporary flat or room, for a few months to settle in and then look for a long-term apartment. You can book fully furnished apartments and rooms on these platforms:

• Spacest: https://spacest.com/ (filter for “You can take up residence”)

• HousingAnywhere: https://housinganywhere.com/ (filter for "Registration possible")

• spotahome: https://www.spotahome.com/ (look out for "Registration / Anmeldung" possible in the landlord policies)

• Homelike: https://www.thehomelike.com/ (filter for "Certificate of residence")

• Wunderflats: https://wunderflats.com/ (look out for “Landlord's confirmation of residence (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)” under “Services”)

Here is a complete list of websites where you can find accommodation.

If you are interested in buying real estate, take a look at the mortgage calculator by Hypofriend.

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