Your Schufa record will be created automatically as soon as you open a bank account or a phone / cable contract in Germany.
Did you know that most furnished apartments in Germany ( listed in Spotahome, Wunderflats) do not ask for a Schufa? If you are looking for your first apartment, this can be an effective method.
If you have recently relocated to Germany, it is possible that you do not yet have a Schufa record. In this case, simply inform your landlord that you have recently moved to Germany and do not yet have a Schufa record. In most cases, landlords will understand.
How do I get a Schufa for free
In Germany, you have the right to access any data someone stores about you. There is no exemption for Schufa Holding AG, the company that issues Schufa. This rule can be used to your advantage when requesting a free Schufa report.
Although the free Schufa report may look different from the paid one, both paid Schufa certificate as well as the free versioin have the same information.
To get the free schufa report, go to the Schufa data copy page on the meineschufa website and enter your personal information and submit the form. Though the form asks for your passport and other information, you only need to enter your name and address. Other details are not mandatory.
A few days later, you will receive your Schufa Datenkopie by post. Unfortunately, you cannot get it by email due to the EU data protection regulations.
How different is free Schufa from the paid Schufa?
Well, it does not appear to be that different at all. It will actually be the main Schufa certificate that only the landlord and other parties will care about. It is important to note, however, that the inner pages of the paid version contain quite a bit more detailed information about your transactions. Compared to the free Schufa, it would contain much more information.
Moreover, a paid Schufa record extract provides you with a Schufa score, which may be of interest to the banks.
Get Schufa instantly
You can also get Schufa instantly by paying 30€. You have this option in meinechufa.de.
Websites like immobilienscount24.de or immowelt also offer Schufa services for a fee.
