Apartment Renting in Germany

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What you need to know to rent a flat in Germany, and lists of (big) landlords by city.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What do I need to rent an apartment in Germany?

If you only sublet from a private person, things can be very easy. It depends all on how much you trust each other. Often enough is

  • a copy of your ID / passport
  • a deposit

But if you rent directly from a landlord and become a main tenant (German: Hauptmieter), things are pretty formal. You will need:

  • Schufa-Auskunft a report of your creditworthiness by Germany's most known credit bureau
  • Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung: a confirmation that you have no debts from previous rents. You get this from your previous landlord
  • Proof of income (German: Einkommensnachweise): Usually from the last 3 months. And your income needs to be 3x higher than the rent incl. heating (German: Warmmiete)

Some apartments are part of social housing and require a WBS (German: 'Wohnberechtigungschein') from you.

More info

Lists of Landlords and Housing Companies