German no-rent-arrears certificate
The paper a new German landlord asks to see.
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Example
Example: an expat in Berlin asks her landlord for the certificate for a new flat
Jane Example has rented a flat at Musterstraße 1, 10115 Berlin since April 1, 2023, for €1,150 a month including advance charges, and is applying for a bigger one. The new landlord asks for a Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung. Jane fills in the form under its English labels and takes the printout to her landlord, Hans Muster, to sign.
- “Tenancy ended” stays empty, so the certificate says she has rented the flat since 01.04.2023 and still lives there.
- The rent typed as 1,150 is printed the German way, 1.150,00 €. “As of” October 1, 2026 adds “zum 01.10.2026” to the no-arrears sentence.
- The service-charge statement for 2025 has not come yet, so “das Jahr 2025” goes in that box and the landlord keeps that bill open.
- “Deposit has been settled” stays unticked: the tenancy is still running, so nothing has been settled yet.
| What you enter | What the certificate says, in German |
|---|---|
| Tenancy began April 1, 2023; ended left empty | … seit dem 01.04.2023 von mir gemietet hat und dort wohnt |
| Monthly rent 1,150 | … die monatliche Miete einschließlich Vorauszahlungen beträgt 1.150,00 €. |
| As of October 1, 2026; rent always paid on time | Aus dem Mietverhältnis bestehen zum 01.10.2026 keine Mietrückstände. Die Miete wurde stets pünktlich und vollständig gezahlt. |
| Statement still due for: das Jahr 2025 | Vorbehalten bleibt die noch ausstehende Betriebskostenabrechnung für das Jahr 2025. |
| Deposit settled (only once it has been) | Die Mietkaution ist abgerechnet; Ansprüche daraus bestehen nicht mehr. |
mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung.pdf, one A4 page in German: Hans Muster’s name and address at the top right, the heading, these sentences, the closing line that it is issued at the tenant’s request for a new landlord, and “Berlin, den 05.10.2026” over the line for his signature.
How it works
- Enter landlord, tenant and flat.
- Enter when the tenancy began and, if it has, when it ended.
- If a service-charge statement is still due, name the period.
- Print; the landlord signs it and the tenant hands it on.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung mean?
- Literally a certificate of freedom from rent debt: the landlord confirms that the tenant owes no rent from the tenancy. German landlords often ask to see one, with proof of income, when you apply for a flat.
- Must a landlord issue one?
- No: Germany’s Federal Court of Justice held there is no right to it (VIII ZR 238/08, 2009). A tenant may ask for a receipt for each payment, and many landlords issue the certificate anyway.
- Who fills it in?
- Usually the tenant: fill it in, print it and take it to the landlord to sign, which saves the landlord the work. The last sentence says it is issued at the tenant’s request, to show to a new landlord.
- What if the service-charge statement is still open?
- Name the period in German, such as “das Jahr 2025”. The certificate then adds that the statement still due is reserved, so the landlord can sign now and settle that bill later.
- Why in German?
- A German landlord reads it, so the paper is in German.
- Is this legal advice?
- No, it is a template.
- Is what I type uploaded?
- No. The PDF is made in your browser and nothing you type leaves your device.