What documents do I need if I want to rent a property?
You can only rent accommodation when you can provide the landlord with the required documents. These usually consist of:
- a Schufa report: this presents whether you have complied with your financial obligations in the past (e.g. if you paid potential fines or repaid potential loans).
- a letter proving that you have paid all your rents (e. g. to your previous landlord). Ask your previous landlord or the staff in your camp for this letter.
- a proof of income: this provides details of how much money you currently earn. You can hand in a paycheck from your employer or a certificate from the Jobcenter or the Sozialamt about the benefits you receive.
- a rent acceptance certificate from the Jobcenter or the Sozialamt that they pay the rent if you are unable to finance the accommodation yourself.
- a copy of your residence permit or temporary residence permit
- possibly a Wohnberechtigungsschein (WBS): this is a certificate that you are entitled to "social housing". Ask for it at your Bürgeramt.
- possibly a polizeiliches Führungszeugnis (extract from police records) to see if you committed any crime in the past. You can get it at your Bürgeramt.