Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung: Requesting It for Free
If you're moving into a WG with your own Hauptmietvertrag - or taking over an Untermietvertrag in a large WG - a Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung (rent-debt-free certificate) is often required. It's a simple document, you have a statutory right to it, and it costs you nothing. Even so, many applicants run into a previous landlord who stalls.
Send your previous landlord a short written request (template below), wait 2 - 4 weeks, follow up in writing if delayed. For pure sublets in WGs the certificate is rarely needed - ask the new Hauptmieter before you put effort in.
What does it actually contain?
The certificate is a single-page document. It contains:
Required contents of a Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung
- Your full name + address of the rental property
- Period of the tenancy (from - to)
- Confirmation that no outstanding rent claims exist
- Date + landlord's signature
What does not belong in it: an evaluation of your behaviour, anything about your flatmates, details of disputes, personal opinions. All of that is sensitive under data-protection law and can be challenged.
How to request the certificate
-
First contact: short email or call
If your relationship with the previous landlord was fine, a friendly email or call is enough. Mention the reason (new application) and the urgency. In 70% of cases you'll have the document back within a week.
-
If nothing arrives: written request with deadline
If there's no reply after 7 days, send a formal letter or email with a clear 14-day deadline. Cite good faith (§ 242 BGB) - a terminated tenancy gives rise to a contractual ancillary obligation to issue the certificate.
-
If refused: reminder + second deadline
If the deadline passes, send a formal reminder with another 14 days and a note that you'll otherwise pursue legal steps (Mieterbund, court action). That's usually enough.
-
Last option: bank statements as a substitute
If your previous landlord ultimately refuses, you can show the new Hauptmieter bank statements from the last 12 months with the rent transfers visible (redact everything else). This is accepted in 90% of cases.
Sample letter: requesting the certificate
Sehr geehrte/r Frau/Herr [Landlord surname],
vom [start date] bis [end date] habe ich bei Ihnen das Mietverhältnis über die Wohnung [address, flat number if any] geführt. Im Rahmen einer neuen Wohnungsbewerbung benötige ich eine Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung.
Ich bitte Sie, mir bis zum [today + 14 days] eine kurze schriftliche Bestätigung zukommen zu lassen, dass während des oben genannten Mietverhältnisses keine offenen Mietforderungen bestehen oder bestanden haben. Eine Vorlage habe ich beigefügt. Sie können diese auch formlos selbst aufsetzen - Hauptsache, Zeitraum und Bestätigung der Schuldenfreiheit sind enthalten.
Vielen Dank für Ihre Bemühungen.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
[First name Surname]
[Current address]
[Email / phone]
Tip: keep the email deliberately friendly. Landlords you parted on bad terms with will happily stonewall on this topic.
Sample letter: reminder if no response
Sehr geehrte/r Frau/Herr [Landlord surname],
am [date of first request] habe ich Sie um eine Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung für das Mietverhältnis vom [date] bis [date] gebeten. Eine Antwort steht bisher aus.
Ich erinnere Sie höflich an meine Bitte und setze eine letzte Frist bis zum [new deadline + 14 days]. Aus dem Mietverhältnis ergibt sich nach § 242 BGB eine nachvertragliche Nebenpflicht zur Ausstellung der Bescheinigung. Sollte die Frist ergebnislos verstreichen, sehe ich mich gezwungen, rechtliche Schritte einzuleiten.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
[First name Surname]
What to do if the landlord refuses
-
Contact the Mieterbund
With a membership (~85 EUR/year, often signed up for in advance) you get an initial consultation. The Mieterbund frequently sends a legal letter that landlords take seriously.
Find local Mieterbund ↗ -
Verbraucherzentrale initial consultation
Cheaper alternative - a one-off session from around 30 EUR. Often enough to draft a formal warning letter.
-
Lawyer - only if real damage is imminent
Only when your tenancy is acutely at risk because of the missing document. Lawyers' fees can then often be reclaimed (default).
-
Substitute: bank statement evidence
Often the fastest practical route. Show the new Hauptmieter monthly rent transfers. Redact everything that isn't "Miete an [landlord name]". Accepted in 90% of cases.
When do you actually need the certificate?
| Living situation | Certificate needed? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Own flat with Hauptmietvertrag | Yes, almost always | The owner is directly liable - risk check |
| WG with everyone as Hauptmieter (all on the contract) | Often | You're jointly and severally liable with the others |
| Classic Untermiete in a WG | Rarely | Hauptmieter remains liable; the owner has no direct relationship with you |
| Zwischenmiete (short-term sublet) less than 6 months | Very rarely | Informal market |
| Studentenwohnheim (student dorm) | No | Different allocation criteria |
Common questions
Can the landlord charge for the certificate?
No. It's a contractual ancillary obligation arising from the terminated tenancy - good faith, § 242 BGB. If your old landlord wants money for it: politely point to the legal position. If they insist: call in the Mieterbund.
What if I had no previous tenancy at all?
Very common for new students or internationals. There's simply nothing to certify. Add a short sentence to your application: "This is my first own flat in Germany, so I cannot provide a Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung." No reasonable Hauptmieter will hold that against you.
What if I'm still in my current tenancy?
You still have a right to it - the certificate then runs up to today's date. The final status as of move-out can be updated after you move out.
My previous landlord was a large property management company - who's responsible?
Write to the property management for your specific building (the address is on your rental contract). Big corporates like Vonovia or Deutsche Wohnen have online portals where you can request the document directly. Turnaround there is often longer (4 - 6 weeks).
What if I'm in a dispute with my previous landlord?
A tough situation. Try the formal written route with a deadline anyway - emotionally a landlord may not respond to a letter, but formally they will. If that fails: go straight for the bank-statement route, you don't have to go back to them at all.
What to remember
- You have a right to the certificate - free of charge.
- Request early (delivery 2 - 4 weeks; longer for property management firms).
- For a pure sublet in a WG it's rarely asked for - check with the Hauptmieter first.
- If your previous landlord stalls: 14-day deadline, then Mieterbund.
- Fallback: bank statements with non-rent transfers redacted.
The Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung is one of several documents that make your application look professional. Also see the full WG application documents checklist for the right order.