What is SCHUFA?
SCHUFA is a private credit agency that collects data on bank accounts, credit cards, loans, phone contracts and payment defaults. Landlords use the SCHUFA report to check that you have no unpaid debts. The report for landlords (SCHUFA-BonitätsAuskunft) shows only what is relevant, not your full data.
How to get your SCHUFA report
- Free data copy: under Art. 15 GDPR you can request a free copy of the data SCHUFA holds about you (Datenkopie). It is meant for you, not for landlords, and contains more data than a landlord needs. It can still serve as proof if a landlord accepts it, but usually takes a while to arrive.
- Paid BonitätsAuskunft: SCHUFA offers a report designed for landlords, available online and often immediately. It costs a fee, check SCHUFA's website for the current price.
- Through your bank: some banks offer a SCHUFA report to their customers.
A landlord may usually ask for a SCHUFA report once you are seriously in the running, not as a condition just to see the flat.
No SCHUFA yet? What to send instead
When you have just moved to Germany, SCHUFA may have no data on you or not know you at all. This is the most common expat problem, and there are ways around it:
- Request a report anyway once you are registered (Anmeldung) and have a German bank account. An empty report without negative entries is still a clean report.
- Bank statements from the last few months, showing salary and no overdrafts.
- Your employment contract and payslips, or a letter from your employer.
- A credit report from your home country, if one exists, as additional reassurance.
- A guarantor if your income is not yet established.
Explain the situation in one sentence in your application letter, so the landlord doesn't think you are hiding something.
The Anmeldung chicken-and-egg problem
To register your address (Anmeldung) you need a landlord's confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). To open some bank accounts and build a SCHUFA history, you often need an Anmeldung. And to get a flat, landlords want a SCHUFA. Many newcomers break the loop with temporary housing that allows registration, a sublet with a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, or a bank that accepts customers without German registration. Once registered, request your SCHUFA report and keep it ready.
Frequently asked questions
Is the SCHUFA report free?
The data copy under Art. 15 GDPR is free. The landlord-ready BonitätsAuskunft costs a fee.
Can I rent a flat in Germany without SCHUFA?
Yes, many newcomers do. Replace it with bank statements, proof of income and, if needed, a guarantor. Some landlords will still insist on SCHUFA, so it helps to apply widely.
How long is a SCHUFA report valid?
It has no official expiry date, but landlords usually want one that is no older than about three months.
Is there a SCHUFA report in English?
The landlord report is in German, which is what German landlords want anyway. SCHUFA's website and some of its information are also available in English.
Does a landlord check my SCHUFA without asking?
Landlords generally need your consent for a SCHUFA query. That is why most simply ask you to provide the report yourself.